tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47626788378163370662017-07-07T07:33:20.480-04:00Leaves & BranchesMy genealogical research, focused on the Leaves &amp; Branches of my family tree, primarily in Southwestern Ohio. I am searching for the family history of the Ballein, Davis, Donaldson, Dudley, Wardlow, Ogden, Lamb, and Shaper families and more.Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-77628754883777214942015-02-13T20:25:00.000-05:002015-02-13T20:25:03.587-05:00My Mom's Oral HistoryWow, it has been a long time since I published a blog article. &nbsp;Although my genealogical research continues, I just haven't had the patience and focus needed to compose an article. &nbsp;Today, however, I had an experience that I just have to share. &nbsp;I recorded my mom's oral history.<br /><br />Recently, my cousin Sue's son, Josh, posted a teaser for a video biography he is working on for his mother's family. &nbsp;He interviewed his mom and her sisters and brothers about their family. &nbsp;I was so impressed that I thought it was time I recorded my mom's history, which I have thought about doing for several years.<br /><br />Several years ago, I gave my mom a book with a list of questions about her life with space for her to write her responses. &nbsp;My mom is a wonderful writer, but she never even started it. &nbsp;My maternal grandmother and dad both started writing their life stories and although these writings are certainly treasures, they only scratch the surface of their life experiences.<br /><br />When I asked my mom about recording an interview, she told me she didn't think anyone would be interested. &nbsp;I explained to her that not only would people be interested in her life, but what an incredible gift it would be for her descendants to experience her personality and hear her voice. <br /><br />The ground rules were that I would ask the questions like I had never met her and that she would answer them as if I didn't know the answers. &nbsp;I also told her she could share as much or as little as she wanted. &nbsp;Every family has its secrets and painful memories and mine is no exception.<br /><br />I developed a list of questions, combining the standard questions with some unexpected ones. &nbsp;We talked about the death of her father Eddie Earl Donaldson, the strength of her widowed mother Mary Dudley Donaldson and her affectionate brothers and sisters. &nbsp;I heard about the many places she lived as a child and her childhood friends. &nbsp;Until today, I never knew she collected trading cards and comic books as a child.<br /><br />She spoke about her teenage years spent in Newtown, Ohio and her school experience at Terrace Park High School. &nbsp;Her first date was in her sophomore year of high school. &nbsp;Her dates were mostly to movies and drive-ins. &nbsp;She couldn't recall any teenage conflicts with her mother because she couldn't bear the silent treatment from her mom.<br /><br />She shared about her early adult years as a working woman at Union Central Life Insurance and Mead Board Sales and how her bosses were impressed by her skill and work ethic. &nbsp;She recalled how she met my dad at Fairfax Church of the Nazarene when his dad introduced her to him. &nbsp;She told me about her wedding day and their quick honeymoon to Hillsboro, Ohio since my dad had already used all of his vacation time that year. &nbsp;She told me about the births of my sister, brother, and me and how they chose our names. <br /><br />We talked about her favorite songs and the importance of &nbsp;music in her life. &nbsp;She told me her favorite Bible story (John 8:1-11) and her favorite hymns. &nbsp;She talked about her heroes, who were not the rich and famous, but some of the people closest to her. &nbsp;She also told me her favorite relative outside of her immediate family, but my lips are sealed!<br /><br />My mom is almost 79 years old and in good health. &nbsp;I hope she has many, many more years of happiness and good health. &nbsp;Sadly, though, many of our family friends of her generation have died or are in failing health. &nbsp;There is no time like the present to preserve these family memories. &nbsp;I encourage everyone, whether they have an interest in family history research or not, to take advantage of the opportunity to interview your older family members while you can.<br /><br />There is nothing more frustrating to me as an amateur genealogist than collecting tidbits of information about my ancestors, but never really <i>knowing </i>them. &nbsp;I hope that recording my mom's oral history will give her descendants more insight into her life and allow them to get to know this extraordinary woman.Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-17552904990184644352012-09-30T14:50:00.001-04:002012-09-30T14:50:07.068-04:00Uncle Tom<br /><div class="MsoNormal">My grand-uncle Thomas Napoleon Dudley was born December 12, 1890 in a one-room cabin in Clark Township, Clinton County, Ohio.&nbsp;&nbsp; He was the fifth of six sons born to Jesse and Mary Shaper Dudley.&nbsp; My grandmother, Mary Dudley Donaldson, was the youngest of the Dudley children and the only girl.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UOjW5BaQKM8/UGiMZ0dR9wI/AAAAAAAAANI/Gdb3dC3PE9A/s1600/Thomas+Dudley+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UOjW5BaQKM8/UGiMZ0dR9wI/AAAAAAAAANI/Gdb3dC3PE9A/s320/Thomas+Dudley+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">The earliest clear photo of Tom shows a sweet-faced teenager with a determined expression.&nbsp; After working as a laborer for a few years in his hometown of Lynchburg, Ohio, on October 1, 1913 he enlisted in the United States Navy at Cincinnati, Ohio.&nbsp; The country boy wanted to see the world.&nbsp; His enlistment papers state that Tom was 5’ 9 ¾” and weighed 145 pounds with hazel eyes, auburn hair, a ruddy complexion, and scars on his left knee and his left index finger.&nbsp; He had a star tattoo on his left forearm, a common tattoo among sailors symbolizing their hope to find their way home safely.&nbsp; He reported to the Naval Training Station at Norfolk, Virginia as an apprentice seaman a few days later.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">In Norfolk, Tom was assigned to the receiving ship U.S.S. Franklin for training.&nbsp; In January 1914, Tom was appointed an apprentice chief petty officer, which he performed in an “excellent” manner. &nbsp;His instructor wrote that Tom was a “hard worker – attentive and subordinate.”&nbsp; He held this appointment until he was transferred to general service as an ordinary seaman in February.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">On April 1, 1914, Tom reported to the U.S.S. Arkansas.&nbsp; Soon the Arkansas was en route to Veracruz, Mexico, landing later that month to defend United States interests during the Tampico Affair.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Returning from Veracruz to Norfolk, Tom sustained a compound fracture of his right leg on October 5, 1914.&nbsp; There is no documentation in his military service file of how he sustained this injury, except that it was not in combat, was in the line of duty, and was not due to misconduct.&nbsp; Tom entered the Naval Hospital at Norfolk on October 7, 1914.&nbsp; On January 18, 1915, a medical report stated:<o:p></o:p></div><blockquote class="tr_bq">Both bones of right leg broken at junction of middle and lower third. This has been a very difficult case to treat and many efforts have been made to get the bones in proper position. At present, the union is solid, but there is still some tenderness and swelling persists. He still uses crutches in walking. It is thought that in about thirty days he will be entirely well.</blockquote><div>He remained in the Naval Hospital until May 1915, nearly seven months.&nbsp; He then returned to the Norfolk Training Station before reporting to the U.S.S. South Carolina in June.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;While war raged in Europe, the South Carolina conducted battle exercises at home and at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.&nbsp; Tom’s rating was changed to Seaman in November 1915.&nbsp; He was assigned to the South Carolina until April 1917 when he was assigned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n4fvCAwXiv8/UGiOed5NS-I/AAAAAAAAANQ/MmhzD96Xuqw/s1600/Tom+Dudley+at+Guantanamo+Bay,+Cuba+Front.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n4fvCAwXiv8/UGiOed5NS-I/AAAAAAAAANQ/MmhzD96Xuqw/s320/Tom+Dudley+at+Guantanamo+Bay,+Cuba+Front.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom sent this picture to his sister Mary. &nbsp;He wrote, "This picture was taken while<br />coaling&nbsp;ship at Guantanamo Bay Cuba. &nbsp;Some dirty gang. &nbsp;I think I am the worst <br />on the extreme left."</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">The United States was now involved in World War I.&nbsp; Tom served on the S.S. H.C. Folger as an armed guard on overseas duty from June 6, 1917 to July 13, 1917.&nbsp; I have been able to find very little information on the H.C. Folger, but it appears to have been a privately-owned oil tanker used to deliver fuel to the allied naval fleet.&nbsp; The U.S. Shipping Board commandeered private vessels and shipping yards for use in the war effort, which probably explains how Tom ended up serving on the H.C. Folger.&nbsp; Tom had returned to the Philadelphia Naval Yard by July 1917 and remained there until he was honorably discharged on October 12, 1917.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">He reenlisted at Philadelphia on October 23, 1917 with a rating of Gunners Mate 3<sup>rd</sup> Class.&nbsp; Since his first enlistment, he was a little bigger, a little more scarred, and a little more tattooed.&nbsp; &nbsp;He served as an armed guard at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.&nbsp; His rating changed to Gunners Mate 2<sup>nd</sup> class on January 1, 1918 and to Gunners Mate 1<sup>st</sup> Class on April 3, 1918.&nbsp; Tom was only disciplined once during his time in the Navy, on April 1, 1919 when he was out of uniform when going on liberty.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>On July 1, 1919, Tom was assigned to the U.S.S.&nbsp; J. Fred Talbott, which departed for the Mediterranean Sea to assist with post-war stability and reconstruction.&nbsp; On July 30, 1919, Tom requested that the length of his enlistment be changed from four years to Duration of War.&nbsp; At that time and at the time of the 1920 census, Tom was in Spalato, Dalmatia (now Split, Croatia).&nbsp; He served on the J. Fred Talbott until June 28, 1920.&nbsp; He was honorably discharged at the Philadelphia Receiving Station on June 30, 1920.&nbsp; For his service in the U.S. Navy, Tom received the Mexican Campaign Medal, the Armed Guard Clasp, and the Victory Medal.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3JcI1bvT0I0/UGiQcahBRpI/AAAAAAAAANY/bRVB_9ZQTT8/s1600/Gertrude+Clemons+Dudley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3JcI1bvT0I0/UGiQcahBRpI/AAAAAAAAANY/bRVB_9ZQTT8/s200/Gertrude+Clemons+Dudley.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gertrude Clemons Dudley</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">After leaving the Navy, Tom remained in the Philadelphia area and married Gertrude Irene Clemons on November 26, 1926.&nbsp; He continued to work with ships, making his living as a rigger.&nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Tom and Gertie moved back to Lynchburg in the 1930s.&nbsp; Tom’s health was failing.&nbsp; My mom was very young when Tom died, but has one memory of him.&nbsp; She was standing outside the theatre in Lynchburg with some family members and Tom bent down and picked her up.&nbsp; My mom also has fond memories of Gertie.&nbsp; Tom and Gertie never had children of their own.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xDlA_F77NX0/UGiRULWAWiI/AAAAAAAAANg/jKZNa73Rp8A/s1600/Mary,+Charles,+Ab,+Tom+&amp;+Clarence+Dudley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xDlA_F77NX0/UGiRULWAWiI/AAAAAAAAANg/jKZNa73Rp8A/s320/Mary,+Charles,+Ab,+Tom+&amp;+Clarence+Dudley.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary Shaper Dudley and her sons, Charlie, Ab, Tom, and Clarence</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Tom was diagnosed with throat cancer in early 1939.&nbsp; According to a local newspaper, in September 1939 he was hospitalized in the Veterans Hospital in Dayton, Ohio.&nbsp; The newspaper reported that his health was improving and that he would be returning home soon.&nbsp; However, in January 1940, the newspaper again reported that Tom was in the Dayton Veterans Hospital .&nbsp;&nbsp; That same month, he was transferred to Edward Hines, Jr. Veterans Hospital near Chicago, Illinois.&nbsp; He died there on March 13, 1940.&nbsp; Tom is buried in a corner of Troutwine Cemetery in his hometown of Lynchburg, Ohio.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YRTjpPHFtJA/UGiR4QKQT-I/AAAAAAAAANo/qwBqqJVKq0Q/s1600/Thomas+Dudley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YRTjpPHFtJA/UGiR4QKQT-I/AAAAAAAAANo/qwBqqJVKq0Q/s320/Thomas+Dudley.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><br /><br /></div>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-90885292514790918062012-06-18T21:14:00.001-04:002012-06-18T21:14:06.020-04:00It Was 80 Years Ago Today . . .80 years ago today, June 19, 1932, my dad, Russell Lee Davis, was born to Quincy and Esther Davis in Williamsburg, Ohio. &nbsp;As I was leaving work today, I pondered what I could write about him in honor of his birthday. &nbsp;One thought led to another and I decided upon his love (or hatred, I'm not sure which) of politics.<br /><br />My dad was not an educated man. &nbsp;He wasn't exactly a devoted student and didn't graduate from high school. &nbsp;However, he read the newspaper from cover to cover, watched the evening news and news programs, and read news magazines. &nbsp;He understood the news of the day and the news makers. <br /><br />When describing prominent citizens in old county histories, the subject's political affiliation was typically noted. &nbsp;Being fiercely pro-union, my dad would have likely identified himself as a Democrat, though he wasn't really a big fan of either party. &nbsp;Sometimes he voted, sometimes he didn't, though he would never hesitate to try to influence his family members' votes. &nbsp;At least once he cast a vote in a presidential election as sort of a protest against both major parties that made my mom concerned about possible FBI surveillance!<br /><br />The first time I realized how interested my dad was in politics was during the Watergate hearings. &nbsp;I was a child and didn't really understand what was going on, but I became familiar with Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Mitchell, and Dean. &nbsp;I recognized every line on good ole Sam Ervin's face. &nbsp;We knew to keep our voices down while my dad was watching the hearings. &nbsp;He wanted to see President Nixon taken down and never forgave President Ford for pardoning him. &nbsp;Of course, the future held even more televised hearings to capture his attention, including the Iran-Contra hearing and Clarence Thomas confirmation hearing.<br /><br />My dad told me that his favorite president was Harry Truman. &nbsp;When I think about the number of times I heard him say that the United States should "drop an A-bomb" on some country, I fully understand why he admired President Truman. &nbsp;Needless to say, my dad wasn't really concerned with political correctness. <br /><br />He and I used to watch the political conventions together. &nbsp;Back in the day, all three networks would have extensive coverage of both political conventions. &nbsp;In later years, they limited their coverage to &nbsp;an hour each night. &nbsp;However, PBS still had at least three hours of coverage and my dad and I would watch it together. &nbsp;It was almost like watching a baseball game with him. &nbsp;We would talk about the action and players. &nbsp;It was fun and I will miss our banter this summer as I watch the conventions for the third time without him.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kQpw287RwvI/T9_RPzQ_w2I/AAAAAAAAAM8/YMA35v9KA-A/s1600/Russell+Lee+&amp;+Melissa+Davis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kQpw287RwvI/T9_RPzQ_w2I/AAAAAAAAAM8/YMA35v9KA-A/s320/Russell+Lee+&amp;+Melissa+Davis.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad, Russell Lee Davis, and I before &nbsp;our political convention viewing days</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Now, a preview of what I hope is to come. &nbsp;Since I attended the NGS conference, I have been full of ideas. &nbsp;My primary research subject right now is my grand-uncle, Tom Dudley, though I also have a few other irons in the fire. &nbsp;I have received Uncle Tom's military records and requested his death certificate. &nbsp;I need to do some additional research to pull everything together and then, hopefully, I will have an interesting story to tell.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-719619496867171462012-05-13T15:15:00.001-04:002012-05-13T15:15:22.176-04:002012 National Genealogical Society ConferenceAs I mentioned in a previous post, I have been in a research rut and needed some inspiration. &nbsp;I was hoping the 1940 census would do it. &nbsp;I found my parents and other family members, but as exciting as it was (for me at least) to show my mom her name on the census, there were no groundbreaking discoveries.<br /><br />However, last week I attended the National Genealogical Society conference in my hometown of Cincinnati. &nbsp;Well, now I am inspired! &nbsp;I have so many new ideas and research techniques, I don't know where to start.<br /><br />My plan in attending the conference was to learn about new resources, since I felt I was out of ideas. &nbsp;Although I learned about &nbsp;resources that were new to me, it was much more exciting to learn about research techniques from top genealogists. &nbsp;If you ever have the opportunity to hear Elizabeth Shown Mills or Thomas W. Jones speak, I highly recommend them. &nbsp;All of the sessions were excellent, but these two speakers opened my mind to new research possibilities.<br /><br />I hope that I am now equipped to track down my elusive Dudley and Tankersley ancestors. &nbsp;I know that the research I am going to undertake will be neither quick nor easy and will take keen organization and reasoning skills, but I am going to give it a whirl. &nbsp;I also plan on requesting some records - hopefully easy finds - to keep me interested while I pursue the Dudleys and Tankersleys.<br /><br />I also learned from one of the presenters after a lecture that there are records pertaining to widow's and orphans' pensions for my 4th great-grandfather Samuel Kincaid, who died on May 5, 1813 at Ft. Meigs, Ohio during the War of 1812. &nbsp;Accessing them might not be easy and may require a trip to the National Archives (ah, well, I need an excuse to visit DC), but at least I know they exist. <br /><br />So, keep your fingers crossed for me! &nbsp;I will report back with new findings.<br /><br /><br /><br />Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-41498664659729730962012-04-01T17:02:00.000-04:002012-04-01T17:02:19.556-04:00Brown County, Ohio Genealogy Facebook GroupFor those of you who, like me, are researching ancestors in Brown County, Ohio and have Facebook accounts, there is now a Facebook group devoted to Brown County genealogy.&nbsp; The link is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/369871666379886/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/groups/369871666379886/</a>.<br /><br />Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-20708018192966279762012-03-11T09:31:00.000-04:002012-03-11T09:32:41.614-04:00My Orphan Photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Well, I still haven't found that spark that will again make my family history research an obsession again. &nbsp;I keep trying to find that one record that will open the door to new avenues of research. &nbsp;It will come - it always does - but right now I'm still in a rut.<br /><br />This morning I was searching for some good cooking blogs to follow. &nbsp;In the process, I came across a couple of blogs about "orphan photos" - old pictures the bloggers have found or purchased and for which they have no information. &nbsp;This inspired me to post some of my orphan photographs.<br /><br />I found these photos in a chest containing photos and documents that belonged to my maternal grandmother, Mary Jane Dudley Donaldson (1898 - 1976). &nbsp;I believe that many of the items in the chest were passed down to her from her mother, Mary Elizabeth Shaper Dudley (1861 - 1947). &nbsp;I believe that most, if not all, of the photos are family and friends of the Dudley and Shaper families of Clinton and Highland Counties in Ohio. &nbsp;However, it is possible that some of the photos were from the family of my maternal grandfather, Eddie Earl Donaldson (1897 - 1943). &nbsp;His family lived in Huntington and Wabash Counties in Indiana and Clark and Rogers Counties in Oklahoma. <br /><br />If you have any ideas about the people, locations, and dates of these photos, please leave a comment.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ucYMVregpxA/T1ydhhMHICI/AAAAAAAAALs/Ty7SBQ1yWss/s1600/189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ucYMVregpxA/T1ydhhMHICI/AAAAAAAAALs/Ty7SBQ1yWss/s400/189.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo appears to have been taken in my grandmother's hometown of Lynch burg , Ohio. &nbsp;However, I don't know who the man is.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dFcswDp852s/T1yeifaLpHI/AAAAAAAAAL8/BPDcQLtixiU/s1600/193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dFcswDp852s/T1yeifaLpHI/AAAAAAAAAL8/BPDcQLtixiU/s400/193.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a handsome man. &nbsp;At first, I thought he looked like a Donaldson, but<br />I &nbsp;kind of wonder if this is my grand-uncle, Thomas Dudley.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r8fAQ0RH_iY/T1yfVdY-gqI/AAAAAAAAAME/wI3ViCPjx04/s1600/194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r8fAQ0RH_iY/T1yfVdY-gqI/AAAAAAAAAME/wI3ViCPjx04/s400/194.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I suspect that someone who knows how to date photos might &nbsp;be able&nbsp;to tell me what era this is from. &nbsp;I have a book on dating photos, but I don't think I'm any good at it!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pjhCmXsAHEE/T1yg8GrF1SI/AAAAAAAAAMM/0fzWNZcA2j8/s1600/195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pjhCmXsAHEE/T1yg8GrF1SI/AAAAAAAAAMM/0fzWNZcA2j8/s400/195.JPG" width="302" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandpa, daughter, and grandkids? &nbsp;Old husband, young wife, and kids?<br />I think the woman looks a little like actress Margaret Hamilton of <i>The Wizard of Oz</i>&nbsp;fame!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3ftUicVdd68/T1yiXGz1oMI/AAAAAAAAAMU/n0Bst3FlunU/s1600/196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3ftUicVdd68/T1yiXGz1oMI/AAAAAAAAAMU/n0Bst3FlunU/s400/196.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A really poor quality photo, but perhaps someone recognizes her.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZoWkNFF31qA/T1yjhJ6U8SI/AAAAAAAAAMc/FWXcQbWOkJo/s1600/197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZoWkNFF31qA/T1yjhJ6U8SI/AAAAAAAAAMc/FWXcQbWOkJo/s400/197.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a respectable looking family. &nbsp;I wonder who they are!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3uN-0PCToAk/T1ykmDTA_KI/AAAAAAAAAMk/Wz1roZIsLRc/s1600/198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3uN-0PCToAk/T1ykmDTA_KI/AAAAAAAAAMk/Wz1roZIsLRc/s400/198.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, I'm clueless about this one too! &nbsp;If I can figure out who the subjects<br />of these pictures are, I will work on cleaning up the photos.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J-J49hAMlQI/T1ymBFu16cI/AAAAAAAAAMs/kJ7W7fqv7AQ/s1600/199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J-J49hAMlQI/T1ymBFu16cI/AAAAAAAAAMs/kJ7W7fqv7AQ/s400/199.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This orphan photo has possibly intrigued me more than any other. &nbsp;A well-dressed<br />man with brooding good looks and a bicycle. &nbsp;Am I related to this guy or is<br />this an early 20th century of a pin-up?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yyco5Xo3ww8/T1yncb6u6ZI/AAAAAAAAAM0/vidhufNy6hY/s1600/200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yyco5Xo3ww8/T1yncb6u6ZI/AAAAAAAAAM0/vidhufNy6hY/s400/200.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who is this cute little girl? &nbsp;I would love to see the rest of her dress.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-45143209478826639852012-01-12T18:50:00.000-05:002012-01-12T18:50:03.804-05:001940 Census Indexing<br />I have been a bad, bad blogger and researcher recently. I go through these periods when I feel like I am hitting brick wall after brick wall and temporarily suspend my research. Then I find one small clue or piece of information, the floodgates open, and I'm back in the swing!<br /> <br />I know I'll get back in the swing in less than three months when the 1940 census is released. I can't wait to find my mom's name in a census for the first time and be able to show it to her. I plan to help in the effort to index the 1940 census. I have started indexing other genealogical records on FamilySearch.org to become comfortable with indexing before the 1940 census is available. Access to the 1940 census will be free.<br /> <br />If you are interested in helping index the 1940 census, please click this link for more information:<br /> <br /><a href="https://www.familysearch.org/1940census?CID=adwords&amp;gclid=CK7LxajUy60CFTOCtgodbWSNiA">https://www.familysearch.org/1940census?CID=adwords&amp;gclid=CK7LxajUy60CFTOCtgodbWSNiA</a>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-68048513157454261862011-10-16T06:00:00.000-04:002011-10-16T06:00:04.729-04:00What If?<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">A few years ago I was walking from my bus stop to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As I approached a street where the traffic travelled one way to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">north</i>, the “Don’t Walk” signal began flashing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I heard sirens approaching as I stopped at the corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As I stood there, I saw a car speeding on the intersecting street with a police car in pursuit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The car turned <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">south</i> onto the street I was preparing to cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was a “What If?” moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>What if my bus had been just a couple of seconds earlier or I had walked a little faster or I hadn’t stopped to let someone exit the bus before me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I would have arrived at the corner before the “Don’t Walk” signal started flashing and likely been in the middle of that street at exactly the time that car made the wrong-way turn to elude the police.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Our lives are filled with these What If moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>However, we are also the result of What If moments in our ancestors’ lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It is awesome to contemplate how events in our ancestors’ lives, some seemingly insignificant, resulted in our very existence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">What if my second great grandfather Peter Ballein decided to remain in Bavaria instead of immigrating to the United States?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>What if he settled in New Orleans, where he first set foot in this country, instead of Brown County, Ohio?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>What if his first wife Margaret Yochum hadn’t died so young?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>There would have been no Hite Ballein, Esther Ballein, Russell Lee Davis, or me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">My dad told me that his parents met at a store near his dad’s home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Although both Quincy Davis and Esther Ballein lived in Brown County, Ohio, they lived around 11 miles apart when they met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>There were probably a lot of stores between her home and his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Did that store carry some type of merchandise that other stores didn’t?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Did she have friends in that area?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Why was she there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I’ll never know what led my grandmother to visit that store, but if she hadn’t, it is unlikely my dad would have been born.<o:p></o:p></span><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">If my grandfather Eddie Earl Donaldson hadn’t moved from Oklahoma to Cincinnati, if he hadn’t found work where he did, if my grand-uncle Charles Dudley hadn’t worked at the same company, if Charles hadn’t introduced Edd to his little sister Mary, my maternal grandparents would have never met, married, and had ten children.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">My mom has often pondered what her life would have been like if her father hadn’t died when she was seven years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Edd Donaldson was an alcoholic who sometimes abused his wife, Mary Dudley Donaldson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>My mom wonders if she would have graduated from high school, gotten a decent job, or been in church if her father hadn’t died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>If she and her family hadn’t attended the same church as my dad and his family, they most likely wouldn’t have met and married.<o:p></o:p></span><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">As a family history researcher, I typically only learn about the big events in my ancestors’ lives – births, deaths, marriages, military service – and not the decisions, accidents, illnesses, hardships, successes, tragedies, and victories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>However, these things happened to my ancestors just as they happen to all of us and set the course for their lives and, in turn, mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I think that’s why it is so important to me to learn more about my ancestors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In a sense, it helps me understand why I am here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">As amazing as it is to recognize that the events of my ancestors’ lives resulted in my unique existence, I am humbled by the realization that one small change in the course of the life of any one of my ancestors might mean I wouldn’t be here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-20283322480002500952011-10-09T06:00:00.000-04:002011-10-09T06:00:00.428-04:00Santford and Sarah OgdenI'm getting lazy.&nbsp; I will be taking the easy way out this week and instead of writing my own post, I will let the September 7, 1905 <em>News Democrat</em> do the writing for me.&nbsp; <br /><br />To provide a little background (well, maybe I'm not so lazy after all), Santford Ogden was born March 19, 1836 in Clark Township, Brown County, Ohio, the son of Alfred and Hannah Harriet Leonard Ogden.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sarah Steward was born February 17, 1838 to Francis and Catherine Price Steward.&nbsp; Santford and Sarah were married in Brown County and had at least ten childen, including my great-grandmother, Rosa Ogden Davis.&nbsp; The article that follows describes their golden wedding anniversary celebration.<br /><br /><em>The golden wedding of Sanford Ogden and wife of this place was celebrated on Saturday August 26, 1905, with a large dinner and family reunion, their nine living children all being present for the first time in ten years. About the noon hour the ladies began to bring out the baskets and boxes and the men began to prepare a table and when it was finished it was 60 feet long and and 4 feet wide. Among the good things we counted 22 large cakes and other good things in proportion. 115 persons were present - 9 children, 30 grandchildren, 2 brothers of Mr. Ogden and their wives and 74 friends and neighbors. Among those from a distance were W. H. Ogden and little daughter of Dayton, Ohio, Alfred Ogden and wife of Huntington, Mrs. Lizzie Palmer of Dayton, Ohio. Charles Redmon brought his graphophone and Alvin Roots his accordian, and to say we had a good time is putting it mildly. At a late hour we parted, wishing Father and Mother Ogden many such events to brighten their old age. The aged couple were the recipients of many handsome and useful presents.</em><br /><br />Sarah died October 16, 1907.&nbsp; Santford died November 10, 1920 in Pike Township, Brown County, Ohio.&nbsp; They are buried in the Warner Cemetery in Clark Township, Brown County, Ohio.Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-52910706204111077022011-10-02T06:00:00.000-04:002011-10-02T06:00:00.182-04:00Charles Henry Dudley - A Life in Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pbs8Jx-QA7Y/TodHDEv9QmI/AAAAAAAAAJk/z4uzEMDB3FQ/s1600/Charles+Dudley+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pbs8Jx-QA7Y/TodHDEv9QmI/AAAAAAAAAJk/z4uzEMDB3FQ/s400/Charles+Dudley+1.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">A few years ago I was looking through a collection of family photographs and mementos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I was struck by the number of photos of my grand-uncle, Charles Henry Dudley and his family.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> Uncle Charlie was the eldest son of Jesse and Mary Shaper Dudley and brother of my grandmother Mary Dudley Donaldson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He was born October 18, 1878 in Clark Township, Clinton County, Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>Below&nbsp;is the earliest photo I have of Charlie.</span>&nbsp;﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4FypMckASj8/ToZAi2ftCrI/AAAAAAAAAIs/GMXGZAPs_nc/s1600/Charles+Dudley+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4FypMckASj8/ToZAi2ftCrI/AAAAAAAAAIs/GMXGZAPs_nc/s400/Charles+Dudley+4.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>&nbsp;﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿<br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">﻿﻿</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Charlie grew up in Clark Township with his brothers Lew, Frank, Ab, Tom, and Clarence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By the time my grandma was born in 1898, Charlie was already a&nbsp;young man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Just a little over a year later, Charlie married the pretty Anna Dora Meyer and they made their home in Clark Township near his aunt Marietta Dudley Himes and her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Charlie worked as a day laborer.</span> </span><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T2s7Rsjj9_E/ToZLLrLrakI/AAAAAAAAAI0/NHbauST3vIo/s1600/Charles+%2526+Anna+Meyer+Dudley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T2s7Rsjj9_E/ToZLLrLrakI/AAAAAAAAAI0/NHbauST3vIo/s400/Charles+%2526+Anna+Meyer+Dudley.JPG" width="270" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Charles &amp; Anna Dudley</em>&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">On August 14, 1900, Anna gave birth to the couple’s first child, Walter Sherman Dudley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Sadly, the child died on September 17, 1900.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>After Walter’s death, Charlie and Anna had three more sons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>James Logan was born January 25, 1902, Wilmer Matthew was born August 11, 1904, and Charles Henry was born August 19, 1906.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>My grandmother was closer in age to her nephews than she was to her brother Charlie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I love this photograph of my grandma and Charlie’s and Anna’s boys.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S85tfk5_Paw/ToZOZm52Q0I/AAAAAAAAAI4/y11fs0xWDXo/s1600/Mary+Jane+Dudley+%2526+Charles+Dudley%2527s+Sons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S85tfk5_Paw/ToZOZm52Q0I/AAAAAAAAAI4/y11fs0xWDXo/s400/Mary+Jane+Dudley+%2526+Charles+Dudley%2527s+Sons.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Henry, James, Mary, and Wilmer Dudley</em></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">In 1910, Charlie and Anna were living in Lynchburg, Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Charlie was working as a grocery salesman and Anna was a hotel landlady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>They lived in the hotel with their three sons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Among their boarders at the time of the 1910 census was Charlie’s cousin, Carl Himes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The photo below&nbsp;is labeled “Dudley Hotel.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I recognize Charlie in the back wearing a bow tie and his mother Mary Shaper Dudley standing next to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I’m not sure, but the lady standing in the doorway between Charlie and his mother may be Anna.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I wonder what occasioned the taking of this photograph;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> t</span>here are some distinguished-looking gentlemen in this picture.</span></o:p></span>&nbsp;</div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VG4dNe4hvyk/TocoWtyaEQI/AAAAAAAAAI8/iXY9LAJsdk0/s1600/637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VG4dNe4hvyk/TocoWtyaEQI/AAAAAAAAAI8/iXY9LAJsdk0/s400/637.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></div></span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">In the early 1910s, Charlie also did home repair work in Lynchburg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This was his letterhead:</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0dEAitM2EAU/TocqsJqsKHI/AAAAAAAAAJA/ZBDk5YNtBjs/s1600/Charles+Dudley+Letterhead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0dEAitM2EAU/TocqsJqsKHI/AAAAAAAAAJA/ZBDk5YNtBjs/s400/Charles+Dudley+Letterhead.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Some time during the early to middle 1910s, Charlie and Anna divorced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Their sons continued to live with Anna.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>My mom believes that Charlie then moved to Cincinnati and where he found a job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At work, he met a teenager named Eddie Earl Donaldson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Charlie introduced Edd to his sister Mary and they were married on December 7, 1915.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></span><br />﻿<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S-eLLfuQaTU/TocyvP6AzsI/AAAAAAAAAJI/RV1oHkBz8W8/s1600/Charles+%2526+Mary+J+Dudley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S-eLLfuQaTU/TocyvP6AzsI/AAAAAAAAAJI/RV1oHkBz8W8/s400/Charles+%2526+Mary+J+Dudley.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Charlie and his sister Mary, around the time of her wedding</em>.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I’m not sure exactly when and where Charlie met Ida May Boice Ostrander.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Ida was a widow with two children, Helen and Arthur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>I believe she&nbsp;was living in the same area of Cincinnati at the same time as Charlie,&nbsp;so I assume that they met in Cincinnati.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>However, they were married in Detroit, Michigan on December 11, 1916.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; <span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I don't have any photos of Ida or Helen, but do have this photo of Charlie and his step-son Arthur during World War I.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7L8G-7EF83A/Toc1ihqzkJI/AAAAAAAAAJM/FPnVTuAu_XY/s1600/Arthur+Ostrander+%2526+Charles+Dudley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7L8G-7EF83A/Toc1ihqzkJI/AAAAAAAAAJM/FPnVTuAu_XY/s400/Arthur+Ostrander+%2526+Charles+Dudley.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">At the time of his second wedding, Charlie was working as a machinist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I’m not sure&nbsp;where he was working at that time, but by 1920 he was employed by the Packard Motor Car Company and lived walking distance from the factory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The 1930 census listed his occupation as an inspector at an auto factory, but said that he had not worked the previous work day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I’m not sure whether he was still employed by Packard; he was&nbsp;then living a few miles from the Packard factory.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XILkmK467Sg/Toc4Pq2RB1I/AAAAAAAAAJQ/NYESdwXWQe4/s1600/Charles+Dudley+12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XILkmK467Sg/Toc4Pq2RB1I/AAAAAAAAAJQ/NYESdwXWQe4/s400/Charles+Dudley+12.JPG" width="270" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Charlie (right) and unknown man at the entrance to the Packard factory</em></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Charlie also seems to have had an appreciation for family history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He compiled the Dudley album, a collection of family information and photographs that is truly a family treasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On December 9, 1922, Charlie copied the Dudley family record “through the advice of Jessey Dudley,”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;his father. &nbsp;</span>He supplemented the album with additional material through the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This album has provided me with so much information that I never would have known otherwise and which is most likely not documented elsewhere.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Charlie had the opportunity to visit his family in Ohio, though I'm not sure how often.&nbsp; He made a trip to Lynchburg around 1939, when he was able to visit with his mother Mary Shaper Dudley, his aunts and uncles, and his brothers and sister.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UKU9ZFhZ5vA/Toc-XtO7oyI/AAAAAAAAAJU/hDbgP4tj2o4/s1600/Mary%252C+Charles%252C+Ab%252C+Tom+%2526+Clarence+Dudley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UKU9ZFhZ5vA/Toc-XtO7oyI/AAAAAAAAAJU/hDbgP4tj2o4/s400/Mary%252C+Charles%252C+Ab%252C+Tom+%2526+Clarence+Dudley.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Mary Shaper Dudley and her sons, Charlie, Ab, Tom, and Clarence around 1939</em></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">My mom first remembers meeting her Uncle Charlie in 1957, when she travelled by Greyhound bus to Houghton Lake, Michigan with her mom, sister Helen, nephew Eddie, and niece Ruth Ann.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>They had a layover in Detroit and Charlie came to the bus station to spend time with them until the connecting bus arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>However, she had previously met him when she was a small child&nbsp;at the time of his visit around 1939, as is displayed in the photo below.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R_Oo8XXxi5o/TodAUQTvHlI/AAAAAAAAAJY/t0YFL6B7zOg/s1600/Dottie+Lea+Donaldson%252C+Charles+Dudley%252C+Rosemary+Donaldson%252C+Mary+Shaper+Dudley%252C+Shirley+Donaldson%252C+Mary+Dudley+Donaldson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R_Oo8XXxi5o/TodAUQTvHlI/AAAAAAAAAJY/t0YFL6B7zOg/s400/Dottie+Lea+Donaldson%252C+Charles+Dudley%252C+Rosemary+Donaldson%252C+Mary+Shaper+Dudley%252C+Shirley+Donaldson%252C+Mary+Dudley+Donaldson.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Dottie Lea Donaldson, Charlie, Rosemary Donaldson, Mary Shaper Dudley, my mom, and Mary Dudley Donaldson</em></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Charlie visited his sister Mary in the early 1960s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By that time, Ida had died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>My mom shared this memory of that visit:</span></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><o:p><blockquote><o:p><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I found him to be a gentle, soft spoken man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He had suffered from colon cancer but was still going strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In fact, he climbed a ladder to paint the trim on our house, in spite of his advanced age and physical condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He seemed to enjoy his visit and complimented me on the love and care I gave to my Mom.</span></span></o:p></blockquote></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O-DK8l2Wp4o/TodBuPDzqoI/AAAAAAAAAJc/LoMATILKkLg/s1600/Charles+Dudley+%2526+Mary+Dudley+Donaldson+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O-DK8l2Wp4o/TodBuPDzqoI/AAAAAAAAAJc/LoMATILKkLg/s400/Charles+Dudley+%2526+Mary+Dudley+Donaldson+edited.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Charlie and his sister Mary, early 1960s</em></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I believe the last photo I have of Charlie is the Christmas card shown below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I find it one of the most interesting photos of Charlie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I like that he is wearing his overalls and posed with his two little dogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I wonder if he did the landscaping and planted and tended the garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It looks like there was a bird bath nestled in the shrubbery.&nbsp; Since he used this photo for his Christmas card, I think his dogs and his beautiful yard must have made him very happy.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gHdjiyzJo9A/TodDF4rO7MI/AAAAAAAAAJg/9WR7FxdMZno/s1600/Charles+Dudley+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gHdjiyzJo9A/TodDF4rO7MI/AAAAAAAAAJg/9WR7FxdMZno/s320/Charles+Dudley+7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> </div></span>Charles Henry Dudley died on May 11, 1965 in Detroit.&nbsp; He is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Detroit.</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />&nbsp;</div></div><br />Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-61879389352441823762011-09-25T06:00:00.000-04:002011-09-25T06:00:06.710-04:00The Rusks <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">This blog has, unintentionally, become the means for me to fill in gaps in my research.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When writing a post, my usual process goes something like this: (1) I choose a subject for my post, (2) I review the information I have on that subject, (3) I realize I don’t have as much information on the subject as I thought, (4) I do additional research on the subject, and (5) I compose the post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>This week’s post certainly fits this pattern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">James Rusk is my fourth great grandfather (James Rusk – Jane Rusk – James Donaldson – David Donaldson – Eddie Earl Donaldson – my mom – me).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I thought I had sufficient information on him, since I had his Revolutionary War pension file and he had a famous grandson about whom much was written.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>But, as usual, once I looked a little closer at my research I realized I didn’t have as much information as I thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>I even made a mostly unproductive trip to the Main Branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County to try to gather more information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>So, although I know I still have a lot more digging to do, here it goes!<o:p></o:p></span><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">I will begin by briefly mentioning James’ famous grandson, Jeremiah McLain “Uncle Jerry” Rusk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Uncle Jerry , the son of James' son Daniel and his wife Jane Faulkner, was a congressman, governor of Wisconsin, and Secretary of Agriculture during the Benjamin Harrison administration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Some of the information in this article is from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Uncle Jerry: Life of General Jeremiah M. Rusk, Stage Driver, Farmer, Soldier, Legislator, Governor, Cabinet Officer</i> by Henry Casson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As a disclaimer, I must admit that I am more than a little skeptical of many of the 19<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and early 20<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>century histories and biographies, so I will use information from this book sparingly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">James Rusk was born in Ireland on March 15, 1754.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I don’t know the names of his parents or siblings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>James arrived in America prior to the Revolutionary War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>According to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Uncle Jerry</i>, James arrived at Baltimore and then was “sold in bondage,” as an indentured servant, to pay for his passage from Ireland to America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Prior to the expiration of his indenture, on March 22, 1777, he enlisted as a private in Captain James Greer’s Company of the First Pennsylvania Regiment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">During James’ service with the First Pennsylvania, the regiment was involved, in part or in full, in the battles of Brandywine, Paoli, Germantown, and White Marsh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After spending the winter of 1777 – 1778 encamped at Valley Forge, some or all of regiment fought in the Battles of Monmouth and Stoney Point.&nbsp;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>In January 1780, the First Pennsylvania joined other regiments in the Pennsylvania line in a mutiny at Morristown, New Jersey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>The troops were demoralized because of the poor conditions, poor food, and lack of pay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The mutiny failed, but many troops were discharged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>According to James’ pension filed, he was discharged at Trenton, New Jersey in 1781.<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Around 1781, James married Ann Robb, who was born in Maryland on January 31, 1760.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I also don’t know who Ann’s parents were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>James and Ann settled in Fallowfield Township in Washington County, Pennsylvania. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>James appeared on the 1783, 1784, and 1793 Fallowfield Township tax lists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He made his living as a farmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>James and Ann were the parents of nine children, all of whom were born in Pennsylvania – John (born about 1782), Nancy (1784), Daniel (1786 –about 1845), Samuel<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>(1790), Sarah (1792), William (1795 – 1850), James (1797 – 1863), Margaret (1801), and Jane (1804).<o:p></o:p></span><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Some time between Jane’s birth in 1804 and his application for a Revolutionary War pension in 1818, the Rusk family moved to Clayton Township in Perry County, Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In 1820, the Rusk household was comprised of James, Ann, and their daughter Margaret. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>In James’ pension file, Ann was described as “feeble” and unable to perform housework.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Because Margaret was his adult daughter, he stated that he was obligated to pay her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">At that point, James’ property consisted of 100 acres of ”3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup> rate land” and 40 acres of cleared land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>They had a three year old colt, two cows and one heifer, two yearling calves, and eight sheep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As far as household goods, they owned a regular pot, a small pot, a Dutch oven, knives, forks, spoons, pewter plates and dishes, a desk, and four chairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>James also owned a handsaw, two augers, and a mattock (a tool similar to a pick axe).<o:p></o:p></span><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">By 1823, James claimed that he had given much of his property to Margaret as compensation for caring for her parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He sold 100 acres of land to his son, William in 1821 or 1822 in exchange for paying off his debst and paying an annuity to James and Ann for their lifetimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The annuity consisted of 30 bushels of wheat, 20 bushels of rye, 20 bushels of oats, and 60 bushels of corn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The survivor would collect half of the annuity after the death of the spouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In 1823, James still owned a horse, a cow, a calf and some household goods and furnishings.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Ann died in Clayton Township on August 26, 1838.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>James died July 1, 1839.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>They are buried in the Unity Presbyterian Cemetery in Somerset, Perry County, Ohio.<o:p></o:p></span><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">On May 29, 1844, the Rusks’ loyal daughter, Margaret, went from the frying pan into the fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>She married William McKittrick, a Morgan County, Ohio widower with several children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After William’s death, Margaret lived with my twice-widowed&nbsp;third great grandmother, Jane Rusk Donaldson Greer in Morgan County, Ohio.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-22636301875900904232011-09-11T06:00:00.000-04:002011-09-11T08:02:55.730-04:00Where Were You?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Last week I shared my memories of the days surrounding the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This week, I have asked family members to help me out by sharing their memories of other modern historical events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>The family members who were kind enough&nbsp;join&nbsp;me in sharing memories&nbsp;are my mom, my cousins Mary and Sue, and my niece Alyssa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">In my early years of researching my family history, I tried to better understand my ancestors’ lives by considering the historical events during their lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>However, I found that it wasn’t really meaningful to me because I had no idea how these events directly affected my ancestors or their feelings about these events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Hopefully, this blog will survive the current generations of my family be meaningful to future generations of our family.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><u>Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day), August 15, 1945<o:p></o:p></u></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">My mom shared the following memories of V-J Day:<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">When Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, I can remember hearing all the church bells ringing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We lived on Bedford Street in Fairfax, Ohio at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I was only nine years old, so I don’t have too many memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I do recall thinking that my brothers Clarence (who fought in France) and Edward (who fought in the Philippines) would soon be coming home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>They were both part of what is now called “The Greatest Generation.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>V-J Day is celebrated in the United States on September 2, because that is when the surrender ceremony was held.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kKpFq5StPOI/TmyhfgqTf7I/AAAAAAAAAIc/fwkjD1wOnoE/s1600/kv.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kKpFq5StPOI/TmyhfgqTf7I/AAAAAAAAAIc/fwkjD1wOnoE/s320/kv.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">World War II Memorial, Washington, DC</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><u>The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, November 22, 1963<o:p></o:p></u></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">My mom remembers:<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">On the afternoon of November 22, 1963, I was sitting at my desk at Mead Board Sales in Oakley, Ohio, where I worked as Secretary to the Sales Manager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It was like any other day until my sister, Helen, called and told me that President Kennedy had been shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I was in a state of shock, since nothing like this had ever happened in my lifetime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">My cousin Sue recalls:<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I had graduated from high school that year and was working at Inner Ocean Life Insurance Company in Cincinnati.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We had music that played all the time with no breaks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The day President Kennedy was assassinated, they broke in and said he had been shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I will not forget the shock that went through that office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Everyone was crying, even the men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We were all glued to the radio and the TV later when we got home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was a very sad time for our country.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uE10WgyMEZo/TmyhrUPNpxI/AAAAAAAAAIg/O6MOQBKSA1Y/s1600/jb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uE10WgyMEZo/TmyhrUPNpxI/AAAAAAAAAIg/O6MOQBKSA1Y/s320/jb.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eternal Flame, John F. Kennedy Gravesite, Arlington National Cemetery</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><u>First Moonwalk, July 20, 1969<o:p></o:p></u></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">My mom shared her thoughts on the first moonwalk:<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">When I was a child, I can remember looking at the moon and thinking that it seemed like it had a face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I was told “that’s the man in the moon.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Little did I know that 25 to 30 years later I would actually see men walking on the moon.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were those men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I am in awe of those amazing men and their journey into space and walk on the moon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>They did something I could not even comprehend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When I hear the words Neil Armstrong uttered, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” it’s still hard to believe that it happened in my lifetime.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><u>Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster, January 28, 1986<o:p></o:p></u></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I had an off day from work on January 28, 1986 and was glad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I had a stomach virus and was able to spend the day in bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The television in my room was tuned to Good Morning America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I watched the now-famous footage of the Space Shuttle Challenger crew, including Christa McAuliffe who was to be the first teacher in space, walking to board the shuttle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I then dozed off.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">When I awoke less than an hour later, I saw video of a plume of smoke and learned that the space shuttle had broken apart a few seconds after liftoff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I was feeling sick to my stomach, but it wasn’t only from the stomach virus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was a horrible day.<o:p></o:p></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--fw68iinHug/Tmyh6PC4J_I/AAAAAAAAAIk/-mQ1jxbLfFY/s1600/jea.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--fw68iinHug/Tmyh6PC4J_I/AAAAAAAAAIk/-mQ1jxbLfFY/s320/jea.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Challenger Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><u>The September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks<o:p></o:p></u></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">My niece Alyssa remembers:<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I was sitting in my first grade class where my teacher was reading us a story when our principal walked quickly into our classroom and said to our teacher, “Turn on the television.” Our teacher quickly walked over to the television and on the screen was the image of a tall tower with a great amount of smoke around it. Our teacher just stood there in a shocked awe. Our class then proceeded to talk amongst ourselves, about what, I cannot remember. A few minutes later, our principal announced on the PA system that we were all to be sent home. As I was walking home with my mother, she told me “A bunch of bad men did some bad things and killed a lot of people.” A few years later, I found a journal of mine from that time. It said “Mom said that some bad guys hit towers and killed a bunch of people.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">My cousin Mary recollects:<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">On the morning of September 11, 2001 I was at work at the PromiseLand Church in Austin, Texas. Someone came running to my office to let me know what was going on. We have a Television Studio just down the hall from where my office was at the time, so all of us were standing, watching on the large television screen with utter disbelief at what we were witnessing. We cried together and could not do anything but continue to watch and saw so much more than any heart can understand. The total destruction of the Twin Towers, and the other two crashes that took place on that dreadful day. Today, September 11, 2011, we remember that horrible tragedy even after 10 years past. It is a day that all of us will never soon forget.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Sue remembers:<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I turned on the TV that morning and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>All the years of feeling safe and comfortable changed in just a few minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Our country was under attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>My husband and I had already purchased tickets for a trip to Hawaii in the beginning of October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I wanted to cancel, but my husband said “no,” we were going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">We had been to Hawaii several years before, but the trip that followed 9/11 was a totally different experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The first time we were there, it was crowded everywhere we went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On this trip, we walked on the beach at Waikiki all alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We went to Pearl Harbor and this time you couldn’t take a purse or diaper bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Every place we went had security.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We stayed for three weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Two of those weeks we stayed in a cabin owned by the military.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was beautiful, but I remember being on the beach with one other woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It made me very aware that everything had changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I was not really comfortable being away from home at the time and can remember being very scared to fly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I was so happy to get back home.</span></i><o:p><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">&nbsp;</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Many thanks to my mom, Mary, Sue, and Alyssa for sharing their memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>I would like to encourage everyone to record memories and impressions of the historical events that occurred during their lifetime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Future generations of your family will appreciate it.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O5O9_hzkRAo/TmyiCFgdqGI/AAAAAAAAAIo/G1KEnjoQTTU/s1600/pa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O5O9_hzkRAo/TmyiCFgdqGI/AAAAAAAAAIo/G1KEnjoQTTU/s320/pa.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><blockquote></blockquote><br />Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-87110516121433057912011-09-04T15:25:00.001-04:002011-09-04T15:25:59.274-04:00Modern History <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I’m sure I don’t need to tell anyone that next Sunday is the 10<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> anniversary of the 9-11 attacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I’m also sure that each of us has a story to tell about the 9-11 attacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As I do my genealogical research, I am often frustrated that it is only possible to get small glimpses of my ancestors’ lives and not really get to know the person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; I would like to know how their lives were impacted by what we now consider history. &nbsp;</span>I hope this blog will survive in some form for a long time and that someday future generations of our family will be interested in how major historical events impacted our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Today, I will share my recollections of September 11, 2001.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Next week, I hope to share other family members’ memories of the major events of our time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">My 9-11 memory actually begins before September 11, 2001.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It starts on Sunday September 2, 2001, the day before Labor Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>There is a carillon in Mariemont, Ohio with concerts every Sunday and on holidays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Although I had often heard parts of these concerts from time to time, I had never actually gone to Dogwood Park (or “the Bell Tower” as it is more frequently referred) for the purpose of listening to one of the concerts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>September 2, 2011 was the first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">My then-six-year-old niece Alyssa joined me for the concert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>She played in the playground while I watched her and waited for the concert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I saw the mostly elderly crowd – “the greatest generation” - drag their lawn chairs into the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The concert began and, as I recall, it was mostly patriotic and traditional American music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Toward the middle of the concert, The Star-Spangled Banner was played.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I looked around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The woman sitting next to me was speaking on her cell phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A couple of young mothers were chatting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I glanced over toward the area where the concert-goers were seated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Around half were standing in respect to their country and the national anthem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>Many of the&nbsp;older crowd – most of whom were able to carry their lawn chairs into the park – didn’t seem able to stand for two minutes for the playing of the national anthem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I was at work on Tuesday September 11, 2001.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>That morning, I heard a coworker say that a plane had struck the World Trade Center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At first,&nbsp;I thought that a small plane&nbsp; had struck the building in a terrible accident and didn't think much of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>That assumption didn’t last long, as word got around that a second plane hit the World Trade Center.&nbsp;My mom called me and asked if I heard about the terrible events in New York.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; I then heard that the Pentagon had been hit.&nbsp; </span>After a while, I couldn’t bear to just sit at my desk.&nbsp;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>News was slow in&nbsp;appearing on the internet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>So, I went to the associate lounge where there was a television.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I watched the video of the second plane hitting the World Trade Center as Dan Rather emphasized that this was actual video and not an animation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Dozens of associates stood in the lounge area in silent astonishment.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I returned to my desk and, although it seems silly now, wondered if I would ever see my family again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was obvious that the country was under attack and no one knew at that point what else might be in store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>News came in that a jet crashed in Pennsylvania and that there was a bomb threat at the State Department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>It was truly a frightening day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I&nbsp;made it home that day, of course, and fear turned to sadness and anger as we watched hour after hour, day after day of news reports about the attacks.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I live near Cincinnati’s municipal air field, Lunken Airport, and we didn’t hear the almost constant sound of aircraft overhead for several days, since air travel was suspended. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Many companies closed for the next few days out of safety concerns and to allow their employees time to mourn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At work, I didn’t receive a call from outside of the company for the rest of the week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A day or two following the attacks I learned that one of my high school classmates perished in the World Trade Center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Prior to the attacks, my mom and I had made arrangements to visit Washington, DC at the end of September 2001.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We debated for several days whether to keep our reservations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I would awaken in the mornings and feel determined to stick to our plans and visit DC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I didn’t like the idea of terrorists controlling my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>But as the day wore on and I heard more and more rumors and news reports, I would end the day wanting to cancel our reservations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This continued for several more days until my mom and I decided to postpone our trip until September 2002.&nbsp; When we finally&nbsp;made it to&nbsp;DC the following year, I was able to visit the September 11th exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.&nbsp; </span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">On Friday September 14, 2001, there was a prayer observance on Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>My employer allowed time off for associates to attend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Thousands of people&nbsp;crammed the square.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It might have been the only time in my life I felt like I was truly part of “one nation under God, indivisible.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As I took my evening walks in the coming days, I was struck by how much friendlier people seemed as we passed<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>each other in the streets. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>There was a feeling that we were all on the same team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This was the positive that came out of an almost unimaginably tragic and violent situation.&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">In the days that followed September 11, 2001 and quite often since then, I have thought back to that day at the Bell Tower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I wondered if the national anthem had been on the program for the September <u>16</u>, 2001 concert if the young mothers would have stopped talking, if the lady would end her phone call, or if more people would have stood to honor the playing of the national anthem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I believe they would have because we had all changed, mostly for the better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>But, sadly, it was only a temporary change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>If the national anthem were to be played at today’s concert, I believe the reaction would be much as it was ten years ago.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">&nbsp; We should never forget, but it seems we always do.</span></o:p></div>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-68336674677324026702011-08-28T06:00:00.001-04:002011-08-28T06:00:03.945-04:00Happy Sylvester Shaw<br />From the November 28, 1875 <em>Cincinnati Daily Enquirer</em>:<br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><blockquote>HAPPY SYLVESTER SHAW, of Russellville, Brown County, Ohio! On Tuesday he celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday in company with his twenty-one children. After dinner he took them out to the mud road in front of the house, and the old man left them all in a scrub race of a hundred yards. The ole man then showed his wondering offspring what boys could do when he was young. He jumped a nine-rail fence without touching his hands, climbed a branch of the apple tree nineteen times, climbed to the top of the well-pole hand over hand, threw a bull calf over the house, and ripped the back seam of his pants in the effort, and told the old woman "if she didn't fix 'em afore mornin' he'd knock the socks off of her!" Hale old SYLVESTER SHAW! Long live the oldest inhabitant!</blockquote></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">What a man!&nbsp; This incredible specimen of manhood was my fourth great-grandfather.&nbsp; Sylvester Shaw was born November 19, 1800 in Rensellaer County, New York.&nbsp; In the early 1800s, Sylvester's parents Russell and Johanna Reynolds Shaw moved their family to what would later become Brown County, Ohio.&nbsp; There, Russell Shaw established the town of Russellville.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Sylvester married&nbsp;my fourth great-grandmother Elizabeth Hatfield on November 29, 1821 in Brown County.&nbsp; Their first child was born and died in 1822.&nbsp; My third great-grandmother, Elmina Shaw Dunn, was born in 1823 and was their first child to survive to adulthood.&nbsp; Sylvester and Elizabeth had a total of ten children.&nbsp; Elizabeth died August 22, 1851.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Sylvester married Sarah Jane Wire on June 24, 1852 in Spencer County, Indiana.&nbsp; I don't know how they met.&nbsp; Did Sylvester have business in Spencer County?&nbsp; Was she a mail order bride?&nbsp; Anyway, they got hitched and Sarah Jane got a house full of kids.&nbsp; Sylvester's passion obviously didn't subside with his second wife.&nbsp; He and Sarah Jane had eleven children.&nbsp; Sylvester had his first great-grandchild before his youngest child was born in 1868!&nbsp; </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Sylvester was a man of many interests.&nbsp; Early in his life, he made his living as a carpenter.&nbsp; He was also a farmer, with an apple orchard, cornfield, cows, pigs, and sheep.&nbsp;&nbsp; He was known as a veterinarian and developed a "throwing harness," so horses could be thrown without injury to the horse.&nbsp; </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">So, I wonder what the real story was with his 75th birthday celebration?&nbsp; Although he had 21 children, a few had died and others had moved away, so he didn't spend his birthday with all 21 children.&nbsp;&nbsp;I wonder who counted how many times he climbed the apple tree.&nbsp; I think it would have become a little tedious after about the second time he had done it.&nbsp; Plus, I would probably be feeling a little downhearted after losing to him in the 100 yard dash.&nbsp; </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">I'm most curious about Sylvester's hurling the calf over the house.&nbsp; I have heard of throwing cow chips, but not calves.&nbsp; How would one go about doing that - grab the calf's legs and then do sort of a modified hammer throw?&nbsp; Obviously, his concern with the wellbeing of horses didn't extend to his livestock.&nbsp; </div>Even though Sarah Jane was more than 20 years younger than Sylvester, she was the "old woman" whose socks Sylvester planned to knock off if she didn't mend his busted seam by morning.&nbsp; Ultimately, Sarah Jane's body (and, no doubt, patience) wore out and she died on October 11, 1879.<br /><br />Sylvester, however, still had some life in him, not to mention a house of teenagers.&nbsp; He married Mariah Sowers on October 6, 1881.&nbsp; I don't know much about Mariah, except that she was a "hired girl."&nbsp; Their marriage record refers to her as "Mrs. Mariah Sowers," so she must have been married before.&nbsp; As far as I know, Sylvester and Mariah had no children, but given Sylvester's history, I'm not making any assumptions.<br /><br />Sylvester Shaw died February 27, 1884 and the bovines of Brown County all breathed a little easier.<br /><blockquote><blockquote><br /></blockquote></blockquote>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-5341102096938120642011-08-21T06:00:00.001-04:002011-08-21T06:00:07.129-04:00Clearing the Air <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">I’ll always remember the day I stood in the Wardlow Cemetery, looking at my great-grandfather Hite Ballein’s grave and telling my parents that if I would ever do any family history research, I would like to research the Ballein family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At that time, I was most interested in the Ballein family for a couple of reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>First, I bear a resemblance to my grandmother, Jennie Esther Ballein, who died when I was a toddler and whom I don’t remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Second, I was intrigued with the unusual Ballein surname, as well as the name Hite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Of course, I did begin researching my family history, starting with my paternal grandmother’s branch of the family, which includes the Balleins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I then branched out to the other side of my dad’s family and later to my mom’s family also.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Along the way I have met a lot of distant relatives with whom I have shared information and am always excited when&nbsp;I meet a “new” relative.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Unfortunately, I haven’t had much success with the family that inspired me to start this journey, the Balleins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Although I have corresponded with a couple of descendants of the siblings of my great-grandfather Hite, I have struck out with the descendants of Hite’s children, my grandmother’s siblings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I have tried to write to a couple of my dad’s cousins with no response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>There have been other situations when I have made contact with Ballein relatives who initially seemed quite interested in sharing information, but from whom I never heard again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I couldn’t help but wonder why this happens, when most people I contact or who contact me are happy to share information.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">I know there are a lot of reasons they might not have responded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>They might not trust me, be interested in their family history, or have any information to share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Maybe they didn’t have time to respond, had difficulies in their lives, or didn’t want to go to any trouble for someone they didn’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">I suspect, though, that it could be related to events following the death of my grand uncle Oscar Ballein.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I won’t go into any details - I don’t know most of the details.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>However, there is one thing I can state with no hesitation or doubt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Neither my father Russell Lee Davis nor I had anything to do with what transpired.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">My dad spoke kindly of his mother’s family, his grandparents, aunt and uncles, and cousins. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Like all families, this family has a story needs to be preserved and shared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>There is so much more I need to know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I would also love to have at least one photograph of Hite Ballein – I suspect there has to be one somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I hope that someday a Ballein family member will find this post and contact me through the Post a Comment section on this blog so we can share information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">I feel that those of us in possession of family photographs, documents, and bibles are not owners of these items, but only caretakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>I look forward to meeting a lot more distant relatives in the future and sharing photos, information, and family stories with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>And maybe, just maybe, one of them will be a Ballein.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I would like to end by stating that the purpose of this post is not to complain about, blame, or embarass anyone.&nbsp; My intention is simply to reach out to these family members and clear the air in the event there has been some misunderstanding in the past.&nbsp; If any family members are uncomfortable about this post, please contact me through the Post a Comment section and I will remove it.&nbsp; Your comment will not be visible to the public.</span></span></div>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-61280010320090424992011-08-14T06:00:00.000-04:002011-08-14T06:00:00.767-04:00What's in a Name? <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">My recent posts have been a little depressing with tales of hardship and tragic death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>his week, I would like to take on a lighter subject – the interesting names of some of the people in my family tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Now, I realize that some of these names weren’t too unusual in the era in which they were bestowed upon my family members, but they sound a little strange now.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span>ELIHU EMBREE<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Elihu Embree was the grandson of my fifth great-grandfather Moses Embree and nephew of my fourth great-grandmother Rebekah Embree Hockett (Rebekah – Prudence Hockett Lamb – Nathan Lamb – Mary Lamb Donaldson – Eddie Earl Donaldson – my mom – me).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Elihu was born into the Quaker Embree family on November 8, 1782, the son of Thomas and Esther Coulson Embree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>If you wish to research Elihu, you will have little trouble finding information, since he holds the distinction of publishing the first abolitionist newspaper in the United States, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Manumission Intelligencer</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Elihu died at the age of 38 on December 4, 1820.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span>PLEASANT LEROY HIMES<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Roy Himes was my grandmother Mary Jane Dudley Donaldson’s cousin, born to Marietta Dudley and Jeremiah Himes on December 1, 1888 in Lynchburg, Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Roy initially worked as a blacksmith in his father’s shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After his parents died, Jeremiah in 1911 and Marietta in 1912, Roy married Jessie Coffman and moved to Springfield Township, Hamilton County, Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>There, he made his living as a machinist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He lived with my grandparents for a while, probably after he and his first wife Jessie were divorced and before he married his second wife Mary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>From what my mom has told me, the name “Pleasant” fit him well – she really liked him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gXVsdganRNQ/TkaAZJihBoI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/XJXk0cXj9qk/s1600/Roy+%2526+Jessie+Himes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gXVsdganRNQ/TkaAZJihBoI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/XJXk0cXj9qk/s200/Roy+%2526+Jessie+Himes.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pleasant Leroy Himes and his first wife, Jessie.&nbsp; We believe Roy is the man<br />on the left.&nbsp; We aren't sure who the other man is.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span>EXPERIENCE DAVIS REYNOLDS<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>This isn’t the only Experience in my family tree, but the first I discovered in the course of my research.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Experience was born April 9, 1751 to William and Elizabeth Gifford Davis in West Greenwich, Rhode Island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>She married Joseph Reynolds on October 31, 1771.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Experience is my sixth great-grandmother (Experience – Johanna Reynolds Shaw – Sylvester Shaw – Elmina Shaw Dunn – Lulu Dunn Wardlow – Elma Wardlow Ballein – Esther Ballein Davis – Russell Lee Davis – me).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At some point after their marriage, Experience and Joseph moved to New York.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Experience and Joseph had 15 children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By 1799, they had moved to Limestone (now Maysville) in Mason County, Kentucky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Shortly thereafter, they crossed the Ohio River and settled in what later became Jackson Township, Brown County, Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Their community became known as the Yankee Settlement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Experience died November 11, 1832, surviving her husband Joseph by almost nine years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span>THE PURCELL FAMILY<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>My great grand-aunt Mary Elizabeth (Lizzie) Ballein and her second husband Simon Purcell hold the distinction in my family tree for having the children with the most unusual names.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Their children were my grandmother Jennie Esther Ballein’s cousins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Ready?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Laura Ina (OK, that name’s all right), Ethel U. (Ethel isn’t unusual, but what could the U stand for?), Cleta Q., Rhemi Olen, Philo Uscana, Euchus Orien, and Seanthus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Unfortunately, I don’t know much about this family but I would love to hear about them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span>NIMROD PRICE<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>I remember when I announced to my parents that there was a Nimrod in our family tree on my dad’s side of the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>My mom commented “Now it’s all starting to make sense!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>However, this Nimrod wasn’t anyone’s fool (and neither was my dad or I, Mom).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Nimrod was the brother of my fourth great-grandfather Jeremiah Price (Jeremiah Price – Catherine Price Steward – Sarah Steward Ogden – Rosa Ogden Davis – James Quincy Davis – Russell Lee Davis – me).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In the early 1800s, he settled with his parents Daniel and Catherine Preisch in a settlement known as Germany in Hamilton County Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By the time of the Civil War, Nimrod was a fairly successful farmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>However, during the war his land became valuable for another purpose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Union Army established Camp Dennison, a military recruitment and training camp and hospital in Germany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He leased his land to the government for an estimated $12 to $20 per acre per month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After the camp was deactivated, the name Camp Dennison stuck and the town continues to be known by that name.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">&nbsp; </span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GvlKr4IwEfQ/TkaA-HG3SVI/AAAAAAAAAIU/GUidmTRcl3w/s1600/Nimrod+Price.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GvlKr4IwEfQ/TkaA-HG3SVI/AAAAAAAAAIU/GUidmTRcl3w/s200/Nimrod+Price.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nimrod Price died in 1874 and is buried in the Waldschmidt Cemetery<br />in Camp Dennison, Ohio</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-5284929430221856352011-08-07T06:00:00.004-04:002011-08-07T06:00:06.350-04:00Donaldsons on the Frontier<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">I have to admit that it wasn’t easy for me to become excited about researching the Donaldson family, my maternal grandfather’s family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Maybe it was because until my grandfather, Eddie Earl Donaldson, moved here in the 1910s, none of my direct Donaldson ancestors lived in southwestern Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>So, information on the Donaldson family wasn’t as easy for me to come by as it was for other branches of my family.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">For quite a while, I wasn’t able to trace any further back than my fourth great-grandfather, Ebenezer Donaldson and his wife, Rebecca Hillis Donaldson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Then one day I came across <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A History of the Donaldson Family and Its Connections</i> by Alexander Donaldson on Google Books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The story told in this book of Ebenezer’s parents and grandparents, if accurate, is quite incredible.&nbsp; Personally, I am a bit of a skeptic about some of this story, since much of it was passed on through family tradition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I have found additional information from other sources, some that corroborates the information in the Donaldson history, and some doesn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This is the story I have pieced together from the various sources.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Jacob Donaldson (Ebenezer’s grandfather and my sixth great-grandfather) was born in York County, Pennsylvania and ultimately settled in the area of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He and his wife Janet had six children, Margaret, James, Jane, Mary, Elizabeth, and James.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Margaret first married a Mr. Stewart. I’m unclear where the Stewarts lived in Pennsylvania.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>According to the obituary of one of Margaret’s sons, during the French and Indian War, she and Mr. Stewart left their children in their home while they went to a spring to get water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Margaret and Mr. Stewart were attacked by Indians, who killed and scalped Mr. Stewart and captured Margaret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>While prisoner, Margaret gave birth to her third child whom her captors reportedly killed because of its crying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Margaret was later given to a different tribe that treated her more kindly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>She was away from her home for six or seven years before she was finally released.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When she returned home, she learned that another of her children had died while she was gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Later, she married Robert Orr and had five more children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Orr family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1798.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Jacob Donaldson was killed in battle against the Indians prior to the Revolutionary War, possibly during the French and Indian War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At the time his estate was settled in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in 1762, his eldest son James was also dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By this time, Margaret had apparently been captured and released by the Indians, since she was referred to in the estate documents as Robert Orr’s wife.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Jacob’s son Isaac was my fifth great-grandfather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He and Martha Reynolds were married around 1769.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Isaac served in Captain John Rea’s militia company of the First Battalion of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania during the Revolutionary War according to documentation contained in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pennsylvania Archives</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fifth Series, Volume VI</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Jacob purchased land in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania and settled there with his family.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>By 1780, Isaac and Martha had five children, James, Ebenezer, Sarah, Margaret, and Isaac.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Donaldson History says that in the summer and fall of 1780 there were Indian attacks in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Back in those days, there were stockade forts where settlers could take refuge from such attacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Isaac, Martha, and their young family took refuge at Fort Wallace, moved onto Fort Ligonier (more likely a nearby stockade fort, Fort Preservation, rather than the military fort used during the French Indian War), and back to Fort Wallace.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">In the spring of 1781, Isaac, returned to work on his property and Martha and the children remained at the fort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Donaldson history states that Isaac boarded with a “George Pumroy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Old Westmoreland: A History of Western Pennsylvania During the Revolution</i> by Edgar W. Hassler indicates that Isaac was working for Colonel John Pomeroy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Sources differ slightly on what exactly happened on the morning of Sunday April 1, 1781.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Donaldson history states that Isaac walked a little distance from the house when the Pomeroy family saw Indians attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Hassler account says that Pomeroy and three hired men were working in a field when the Indians attacked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>One man (Isaac) was killed, two ran for help, and Pomeroy ran back to the cabin to hide his children and fight off the attack with his wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When help arrived the following morning, they found Isaac’s scalped body and buried it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Martha was now widowed with five children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Donaldson history describes her story as follows:<o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Shortly before [Isaac’s] death, [Martha] was bitten on the foot by a copper-head, and her oldest son dug a hole in yellow clay and buried her foot in it, and then poured cream around it until the cream assumed a greenish color, and the poison was extracted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On the day when [Isaac] was killed, . . . she was crossing a stream on a log, carrying her youngest son, an infant, when, losing her balance, she fell into the water, and again the oldest son ran for help, and secured their rescue from a watery grave.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">According to the Donaldson history, these events and her husband’s death caused Martha to descend into mental illness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Her sister, Sarah Reynolds, took over the childrearing duties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Martha died in late 1782.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">In April 1783, Martha’s brother John Reynolds returned to the area where Isaac was killed and took four of the five Donaldson children with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The exception was Ebenezer, who lived with family and acquaintances in York County, Pennsylvania.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Since Ebenezer is my ancestor, I would like to know why he didn’t go with the rest of the family and with whom he lived.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Ebenezer apparently lost contact with his brothers and sisters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>During the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794, James Donaldson scraped together enough money for a trip to the Pittsburgh area, surmising that Ebenezer might be among the troops President Washington sent from eastern Pennsylvania counties to put down the insurrection in southwestern Pennsylvania.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After making some inquiries, James found his brother and the family was reunited.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Unbelievable story, isn’t it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The stuff that movies, not my family history, are made of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Maybe someday I’ll be able to determine how accurate it is!<o:p></o:p></span></div>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-80215193393489544482011-07-31T06:00:00.001-04:002011-07-31T06:00:02.221-04:00Putting Things in Perspective<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Last week I wrote about what I learned about Campbell Dudley’s death from the military pension application filed by his mother, Lettitia Dudley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>My primary objective in ordering the pension file was to learn more about Lettitia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Most of what I knew about Lettitia and her husband Thomas I learned from the Dudley album I received from my great-uncle Clarence Dudley’s step-grandson a year and a half ago. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>I have gleaned other information from the usual genealogical sources, mostly census records.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Iva Lettitia Tankersley was born January 18, 1811 in Virginia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>There is a Virginia marriage record that indicates that a Thomas Dudley married a “Malitia Tankesley” in Pittsylvania County, Virginia on November 17, 1830.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>However, the Dudley album states that Thomas and Lettitia were married in 1829 and moved from Virginia to Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Dudleys’ first child, Matilda, was born on October 11, 1830 and died June 24, 1831.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>They then had ten more children, Absalom, Robert, Campbell, William, John, Jane, twins Jesse and Berryman, Mary Etta, and Lewis.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">The Dudleys first lived about two miles north of Lynchburg, Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In 1849, they moved to the “Old Dudley Homestead” in Clark Township, Clinton County Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Dudley album states that this land was a gift to Thomas and Lettitia for naming their twins after Jesse and Berryman Hundley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I haven’t been able to confirm it yet, but I think the Hundleys and Dudleys might have travelled from Virginia to Ohio together.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Although I suspect that Lettitia never had an easy life, the 1860s must have been nearly unbearable for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Berryman died on November 29, 1860 and Thomas on March 11, 1861. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>A month after her husband’s death the Civil War began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By this time, Lettitia’s eldest son Absalom had left home and Robert married and was living in his own home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Lettitia was a widow with seven children at home. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Her sons could help her earn a living, but their services were also in demand by their country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Campbell Dudley enlisted in the 48<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> Ohio Volunteer Infantry on October 3, 1861.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>William and John also served in the Union army. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Campbell died by suicide while on his way home on a furlough on July 29, 1864.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">An affidavit from <span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Isaac Foster</span> </span>stated that Campbell worked for his father <span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Christian Foster, a Lynchburg, Ohio farmer</span>, </span>prior to the war</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>His wages were paid to Lettitia in the form of corn for “breadstuff.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Dudley neighbor Amos Fisher’s affidavit also stated that Campbell Dudley worked</span> for him before the war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Fisher indicated that he paid Campbell’s salary to Lettitia in meat, flour, corn, and wheat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At the time Campbell enlisted, Amos Fisher owed him a half month’s pay, which Campbell asked him to give to his mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>In Lettitia’s affidavit, she stated that she had included five letters from Campbell which indicated that he was sending her money while he was in the army.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Letters and affidavits in the pension file describe Lettitia’s poverty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>She owned ten acres of what was described as “swamp land” with one log house and no outbuildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The land couldn’t be farmed because it was too wet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>She owned a cow for a while, but had to sell it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In an 1877 letter to the Pension Office, she stated that she was "supported by the cold charities of the neighborhood in which I live.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Even a Pension Office document described her as an “unquestionable [sic] deserving claimant.”<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Lettitia first applied for a pension on January 2, 1865.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Pension Office obtained an affidavit from P. A. Willis, the 48<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> OVI’s regimental surgeon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Dr. Willis stated that Campbell committed suicide due to “temporary insanity” due to alcohol deprivation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Pension Office denied Lettitia’s application on September 23, 1865, stating that Campbell’s death wasn’t due to his military service.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">In response to the denial, Lettitia’s son Absalom and Clinton County farmer William West submitted an affidavit testifying to Lettitia’s poverty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>They testified that as an old woman with rheumatism she was unable to support herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Pension Office obtained an affidavit from regimental commander J. R. Parker, who confirmed that Campbell jumped from the steamboat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He said that he didn’t know why Campbell jumped, but that he “overheard” that he was intoxicated. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>The pension rejection was reaffirmed on July 24, 1870.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">On January 4, 1877, Lettitia wrote to the Pension office that her attorney, R. E. Doan of Wilmington, Ohio, wouldn’t give her information on her application.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On August 15, 1878, Lettitia hired attorney Isma Troth of Lynchburg, Ohio to represent her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In September, her application was rejected yet again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">At this point, it appears that someone went to work, either Mr. Troth or nationally prominent pension attorney <span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">George Lemon</span></span>, who had also been engaged to handle Lettitia’s claim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Two of Campbell’s comrades submitted very similar-sounding affidavits stating that Campbell was not intoxicated at the time of his death, that he was sick with “camp diarrhea,” and that his insanity was caused by the medications he was taking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The application was denied again on October 6, 1880. <o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Less than two weeks later, George Lemon sent a letter to the Pension Office asking that they make a decision based on the documentation on record and blamed the delay in submitting evidence on the claimant, Lettitia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Apparently, he hadn’t received notification of the denial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It sounds like he was ready to rid himself of a case that was unlikely to result in payment of his contingency fee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">29-year-old Lewis Dudley, Lettitia’s youngest son, now became involved in her case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At the time of the 1880 census, Lewis was residing in the household of widow Mary J. Young, who was a storekeeper at Farmer’s Station in Clark Township, Clinton County, Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>His occupation was listed as “clerk.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Lewis later became a pension attorney himself.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Lewis sent a letter to the Commissioner of Pensions on December 19, 1881 asking for a favor with his mother’s claim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Lewis pointed out that in his capacity as assistant postmaster he had often been asked by the Pension Office to attest to the standing of others in the community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He wrote that George Lemon was doing nothing for his mother’s case and that it had been difficult for his mother to obtain testimony from Campbell’s comrades because most of them had been imprisoned at the time of his death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Over the next 16 months, four more of Campbell’s comrades submitted affidavits with noticeable similarities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>The Pension Office followed up with letters to these four men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In some instances the affidavits and the veterans’ responses to the Pension Office letters contradicted each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Neither the similarities between the four affidavits, nor the contradictions between the soldiers’ affidavits and letters escaped the notice of the Pension Office and Lettitia’s application was denied again on July 17, 1884.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>The final notation regarding Lettitia’s pension application was that that the rejection was affirmed on February 13, 1890.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Lettitia never received a military pension for Campbell’s death and died five years later on January 26, 1895.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Dudley album indicates that she is buried at Troutwine Cemetery in Lynchburg, Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>If this is correct, her grave is not marked.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I often find myself thinking of my ancestors when I am unhappy over some perceived hardship or setback in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I can’t say that the comparison of my life to Lettitia’s stops me from complaining, but I know it should.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>It at least helps me to put the events of my life in perspective.</span></span>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-32538914214380063792011-07-24T06:00:00.001-04:002011-07-24T06:00:01.873-04:00The Death of Campbell Dudley<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;">Several weeks ago, I was exploring footnote.com and discovered that my second great-grandmother, Lettitia Dudley, had filed a pension application after her son Campbell died in the Civil War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I am desperate for information about Lettitia and her husband Thomas, so after a couple of days of debating with myself whether I wanted to spend $75.00 to order the pension file from the National Archives and Records Administration, I took the plunge and did it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>My purpose in ordering the file was to hopefully learn more about Lettitia and, in the process, find out more about Campbell’s military service and death while serving in the army.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;">I have received the pension file and, yes, it provided a little illumination on Lettitia’s life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I will cover what I learned about Lettitia and her application for a military pension in next week’s post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>The real surprise in the pension file was the story of Campbell Dudley’s death.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;">Campbell Dudley was born March 25, 1837, the fourth child of Thomas and Iva Lettitia Tankersley Dudley of Clark Township in Clinton County, Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He was an older brother of my great-grandfather Jesse Dudley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On October 3, 1861, Campbell enlisted in Company C of the 48<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Company C was composed primarily of men from Clinton and Highland Counties.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;">According to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">History of the 48<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry</span></i> written by Major John A. Bering and Captain Thomas Montgomery, the 48<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> OVI fought in the Battle of Shiloh, the Siege of Corinth, the Battle of Arkansas Post, and the Battle of Vicksburg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By late February 1864, Campbell’s regiment set up camp near New Orleans, Louisiana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>On February 29, the regiment re-enlisted as a group for another three year term with the promise of a 30 day furlough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As the soldiers were preparing for their furlough, they were ordered to Franklin, Louisiana, where the army was organizing for the Red River Expedition.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;">It was around this time that, according to an unsigned document in the pension file, that Campbell began taking medications prescribed by the regimental doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The pension records indicate that he was being treated for chronic laryngitis, though some of his comrades claimed in their affidavits that he suffered from “camp diarrhea.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On April 8, 1864, the regiment fought in the Battle of Sabine Crossroads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In the battle 177 members of the regiment were captured by the Confederates and imprisoned at Camp Ford in Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Most of the captured 48<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> OVI soldiers remained there until a prisoner exchange in October 1864.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;">Campbell, however, was not captured and the army fell back to Pleasant Hill, where the Battle of Pleasant Hill was fought the following day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Campbell lost his clothing, blankets, and knapsack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On April 10, the army retreated to Grand Ecore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On April 20, Campbell boarded the steamboat for New Orleans, where he entered Charity Hospital on April 29.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He was discharged from Charity Hospital on May 27.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>According to notes in the pension file, Campbell wrote a letter to someone stating that he was “well as common,” “doing bully,” and “having plenty to eat and nothing to do” while waiting for his regiment to arrive in New Orleans for their furlough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He ultimately rejoined his regiment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;">The long-awaited 30 day furlough was finally granted in late July 1864.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Campbell and his comrades boarded a steamboat heading north up the Mississippi River, then east at the Ohio River, then home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On July 29, Campbell was apparently sleeping with some other soldiers when he got up and, within a few minutes, jumped overboard and was drowned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I knew that Campbell had died on July 29, 1864 when he drowned in the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge, but the possibility of suicide never crossed my mind.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;">Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Why would a man who two months earlier supposedly wrote to someone that he was “doing bully” and was on his way home for a 30 day furlough jump to a watery death?<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;">The affidavits, letters, and other documents in the pension file suggest a number of possibilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>An unsigned, undated document in the file suggested that Campbell might have gotten too close to the edge of the steamboat and fallen or even that some of his comrades might have pushed him overboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>However, no one else suggested this. <o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>A number of people indicated that Campbell was known to have “peculiar spells” when he seemed to be temporarily insane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>When he had these spells, he seemed indifferent to his surroundings and seemed “troubled in mind.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In a letter to the Pension Office, comrade Jonathan Pratt described Campbell’s odd behavior at camp in Algiers, Louisiana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He said that Campbell was normally “of lively disposition,” but had become melancholy and wouldn’t pay attention to what was going on around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>He wrote that some people thought he had been drinking, others thought he was upset because some money had been stolen from him, and others thought the problem developed because he had re-enlisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;">A common theme in the comrades’ affidavits and letters was Campbell’s illness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>His comrades said he had been afflicted with camp diarrhea for some time, but other documents indicate that the true nature of his ailment was chronic laryngitis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Some of his comrades suggested that the medications he took for his ailment was the reason for his spells.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The hospital steward pointed out in his affidavit that Campbell hadn’t been on the sick list for two months prior to his death.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;">Nearly all the affidavits and letters in the file reference Campbell’s drinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Many acknowledge that Campbell was known to drink to excess, though not while on duty or in camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>However, most said that he had not been intoxicated for several weeks and that liquor was not available on the boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Others said, though that he had been drinking in New Orleans prior to his furlough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;">In the opinion of regimental surgeon P. A. Willis, Campbell “deliberately sprang” into the river and drowned due to temporary insanity caused by being deprived of liquor after drinking to excess in New Orleans prior to furlough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Others suggest that Campbell’s bouts of temporary insanity were caused by delirium tremens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Although there is testimony that Campbell hadn’t had a drink in several weeks, my hunch is that the regimental surgeon is probably correct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; line-height: 115%;">Would Campbell have ended his life had he spent the years of 1861 to 1864 back home in Clinton County?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>My guess is he probably wouldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Most of us can only imagine the hardships and horrors he and his comrades and millions of fighting men and women have experienced through the centuries of warfare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Campbell no doubt saw friends, possibly men he grew up with, injured, killed, and taken prisoner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He fired at the enemy and may have wounded or killed Confederate soldiers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He saw battlefields strewn with the mangled bodies of young men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He endured weather extremes, hunger, and dirty drinking water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>How did he cope?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Through drinking to excess?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Through zoning out?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Maybe he was just not able to cope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Perhaps his excessive drinking and suicide had nothing to do with his war experience at all. I don’t know and most likely never will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Regardless of how or why Campbell Dudley’s life ended, we should still honor the three years of service he gave to his country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JOkXKgzGLu0/TiNQhOQGaII/AAAAAAAAAH0/ipEYQuTcxKs/s1600/Lynchburg+Civil+War+Memorial+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JOkXKgzGLu0/TiNQhOQGaII/AAAAAAAAAH0/ipEYQuTcxKs/s400/Lynchburg+Civil+War+Memorial+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CBwNPYD2W7k/TiNQzOfpdhI/AAAAAAAAAH4/MWswNOVQmv8/s1600/Lynchburg+Civil+War+Memorial+2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CBwNPYD2W7k/TiNQzOfpdhI/AAAAAAAAAH4/MWswNOVQmv8/s400/Lynchburg+Civil+War+Memorial+2a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Civil War Memorial, Lynchburg, Ohio</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br /></div>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-39392685978638281882011-07-17T06:00:00.001-04:002011-07-17T06:00:07.161-04:00Robert Hamilton<span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Robert Hamilton was my fifth great-grandfather (Robert Hamilton – Elizabeth Hamilton Dunn – Robert Dunn – Lulu Dunn Wardlow – Dora Elma Wardlow Ballein – Jennie Esther Ballein Davis – Russell Lee Davis – me).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He was born in Ireland on May 16, 1760, but came to America as a teenager and soon thereafter joined the Pennsylvania Line of the Continental Army.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Robert first married Susannah Kean, my ancestor, on April 30, 1781.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>They had three children, Elizabeth, Robert Jr., and Joseph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After Susannah died, Robert married Ann Hays on February 23, 1792.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Robert and Ann had one child, William Hays Hamilton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Hamiltons moved from Pennsylvania, ultimately settling near Lebanon in Warren County, Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Robert worked as a blacksmith.<o:p></o:p></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W0eB9fevdTs/TiHn8C7yb8I/AAAAAAAAAHw/ZuYFDOY8pNU/s1600/Robert+Hamilton+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W0eB9fevdTs/TiHn8C7yb8I/AAAAAAAAAHw/ZuYFDOY8pNU/s320/Robert+Hamilton+%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Robert Hamilton</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> As I am writing this, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of a Civil War pension file from the National Archives on an ancestor on my maternal grandmother’s branch of the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Military pension files are interesting not only because of the information they provide on an individual’s military record, but also because they can provide glimpses at an ancestor’s everyday life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Robert first received a military pension in 1818.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Below is an excerpt from his pension file, which not only summarizes his Revolutionary Way experience, but also provides a schedule of his property as of the date of the document, August 22, 1820.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Pension files are often difficult to read, so hopefully my transcription is fairly accurate.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> <em>Robert Hamilton a resident of [Warren] County aged sixty one years next May, who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath declare for the purpose of obtaining the provision made by the acts of Congress of the 18<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> of March 1818 &amp; the 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> of May 1820.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>There the said Hamilton enlisted for during the war, on the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>day of December 1776 in the State of New Jersey at Trenton in company commanded by Capt. Matthew Henderson in the Reg. commanded by Colonel Richard Butler of the ninth Pennsylvania Regt. in the Pennsylvania line on Continental Establishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He continued to serve in said corps to the close of the war when he was discharged from said service in Pennsylvania at Carlisle; he was in the battle of Brandywine &amp; received a wound; - in the Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth &amp; at the taking of Stony Point &amp; at the taking of Genl Cornwallis, also in a great number of skirmishes which I do not particularly now recalled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This declarant has no other evidence in his power of his services . . . . <o:p></o:p></em></span><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span></em><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">. . . I have not nor has any person for me in trust any property or securities, contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed &amp; by me subscribed to wit.<o:p></o:p></span></em></div><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 80 Acres of land, 30 of which is cultivated, value $800.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 1 Horse creature<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>35.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 2 Cows<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>30.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 1 Steer 2<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>years old<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>10.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 2 Yearlings<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>8.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 2 Calves<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>4.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 3 Sheep<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>6.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 9 Hogs<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>15.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 1 Bible hymn book &amp; a few religious tracts<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>10.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> House furniture<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>40.50<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 1 Mans Saddle<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>8.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 1 Womans ditto<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>23.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 1 Wheel &amp; reel<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>3.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 1 Loom &amp; Gears<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>12.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 1 Wooden Clock &amp; Case<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>20.00<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> Farming Utensils<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>15.75<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> 20 Geese<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>7.50<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> Robert Hamilton<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>$1047.25<o:p></o:p></span></em><br /><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Reading the inventory of Robert’s property, I can imagine the Hamilton homestead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The sights, sounds, and smells of the farmyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; Robert tending the animals and working in the fields.&nbsp; </span>Ann seated at the loom or cooking or cleaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>The evening meal&nbsp;with the ticking of the wooden clock, which might have been their most cherished possession.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Mostly, though, I envision years of hard work in the frigid winters and the heat and humidity of southwestern Ohio summers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Robert Hamilton died February 24, 1841 near Lebanon, Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After his death, Ann applied for and received a military pension.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Ann died January 26, 1845.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;"><br /></div>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-90284025418955929582011-07-10T06:00:00.002-04:002011-07-10T06:00:08.830-04:00Ralph Waldo Ogden<span style="font-family: inherit;">My dad and his dad James Quincy Davis were storytellers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We used to kid my dad about the stories he told us over and over again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>One&nbsp;sad story&nbsp;passed from Grandpa Davis to my dad and then to my sister, brother, and me was the story of the tragic death of Ralph Waldo Ogden.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ralph Waldo Ogden was born December 17, 1907 in Pike Township, Brown County, Ohio to Santford Morton&nbsp;and Bessie Ralston Ogden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Santford was the son of my second great-grandparents Santford and Sarah Steward Ogden and brother of my great-grandmother Rosa Ogden Davis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On June 4, 1908, Bessie died and Waldo was sent to live with Rosa and her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>My grandpa was a little over a year older than Waldo. My dad said that grandpa referred to Waldo as his “little half-brother.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>At the time of the 1910 census, Waldo was living with the Davis family, while his older siblings, Ivah, Paul, and Sarah were living with Santford and his second wife, Lucinda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By 1920, Waldo was living with his father again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> I have often wondered about Waldo’s name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It seems unlikely that the Methodist Ogdens were admirers of Transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson, whose religious views were a considered radical in his time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Perhaps they just liked the name.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wish I knew more about Waldo than how he died.&nbsp; I know from his obituary (I only have a clipping, so I don’t know the source) that he&nbsp;was a member of&nbsp;the Mt. Nebo Methodist Episcopal Church and "active in church work."&nbsp;&nbsp;He was a&nbsp;junior at Clark Township High School in Brown County at the time of his death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; The obituary described him as "thoughtful" and "earnest."</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The story passed down in my family was that grandpa and Waldo were out hunting one night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>They “treed a ‘coon,” Waldo climbed into the tree, and fell, causing his death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> A distant cousin told me she spoke to several people who related a similar story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A group of boys were out one night and “treed a ‘coon.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>(It’s interesting that the same terminology was used by both sources.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The boys didn’t have guns and Waldo climbed the tree to try to catch the raccoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The raccoon attacked Waldo and he fell out of the tree.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">According to his obituary, Waldo died the morning after his fall, on November 23, 1924.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The obituary doesn’t give details about how he died, except that “on the last evening of his life while engaged in boyish sport, he received a dangerous fall.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The obituary&nbsp;states that he was still conscious when his father reached his side, but died a few hours later.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Ralph Waldo Ogden was buried in Warner Cemetery in Brown County, Ohio on November 25, 1924.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am intrigued by people in my family tree who had no descendants, like Waldo, my maternal grand-uncle Lewis Dudley,&nbsp;my great grand-uncle&nbsp;also named Lewis Dudley, and the many “maiden aunts” I have discovered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I hope that others are intrigued as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>I may not be directly descended from these people, but they were part of&nbsp;my ancestors’ lives and each person has a story that needs to be shared and preserved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-31979787483180268972011-07-03T06:00:00.001-04:002011-07-03T06:00:00.575-04:00Mystery Photo No. 1I am titling this post "Mystery Photo No. 1" because I have many old photographs that are a mystery to me.&nbsp; I plan to share more of these pictures in the future and hope that readers will post comments to help answer some of my questions.<br /><br />I will begin by admitting my ignorance&nbsp;of rural life.&nbsp; I have always lived in the suburbs and have spent over 20&nbsp;years working in&nbsp;downtown Cincinnati, Ohio.&nbsp; So, please forgive me if I am unable to identify some objects in this photo that are obvious to you.&nbsp; Just roll your eyes at my ignorance and post a comment to help me out!&nbsp; Enough about my shortcomings; here's the photo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5o34rE1aRXs/Tg9VXpfIB6I/AAAAAAAAAHs/00gjee9JzIk/s1600/713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5o34rE1aRXs/Tg9VXpfIB6I/AAAAAAAAAHs/00gjee9JzIk/s400/713.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We are almost certain that this photo is from my maternal grandmother Mary Jane Dudley Donaldson's family.&nbsp; The photo is printed (not mounted) on cardboard and there is no photographer's mark.&nbsp; The photo as it appears above has been cropped, but there is a white border of approximately one-half inch above the picture.&nbsp; The picture is not a postcard.&nbsp; It is 6 3/8 by 4 1/4 inches in size, but the top and right side edges appear to have been trimmed by hand.&nbsp; "TAKEN-64-YEARS-AGO&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1958" is written on the back of the photo.&nbsp; My mom doesn't recognize the handwriting, but does not believe it is her mother's.&nbsp; </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">An older man, two younger women, and a dog are pictured.&nbsp; The man is holding a violin or fiddle.&nbsp; There is a rake and a shovel leaning against the building.&nbsp; My guess is that the photo was taken in either Highland or Clinton County, Ohio because that is where the Dudley and Shaper families lived.&nbsp; That's about all I know.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here are my questions about this photo:</div><ul><li>Who are these people?&nbsp; If I had to guess, I would say they were my second great-grandfather John Shaper, his daughter Emma (on the left) and his second wife Lydia Williams Shaper (on the right).&nbsp; If this photo was, in fact, taken in 1894, John would have been 58, Emma 16, and Lydia 22.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have other photos of Emma and this could certainly be her, but I can't be sure.</li><li>Is&nbsp;the building&nbsp;a house?&nbsp; There is no chimney and no windows are visible. Granted, there could be a window in the rear, but I would expect to see one on the side as well.&nbsp; As I recall from a visit to a living history site several years ago, back in the old days, windows were usually placed opposite other windows or doors to create cross-ventilation and cool the house.&nbsp; If it is a house, how was it heated and how did they cook without a fireplace?</li><li>What is the object that appears to be a box made of wood slats on the left side of the building?</li><li>What's up with that piece of wood sloped against the front left side of the building?&nbsp; I thought perhaps it was used to collect rainwater coming off the roof, but there is no receptacle in which to capture it.&nbsp; Also, would you divert the rainwater to accumulate right next to the door?</li><li>Why are there big hoops hanging on the building and for what were the hoops used?</li><li>To the right of the house, in front of the man and the dog, is a log propped atop V-shaped wood legs.&nbsp; I kind of looks like a sawhorse missing a couple of legs.&nbsp; Is this a sawhorse or something else?</li><li>I am completely perplexed by the thingamabob in the lower right side of the photo.&nbsp; It appears to be something store-bought rather than homemade.&nbsp; It looks like a little horizontal&nbsp;ladder-shaped object with wooden dowels running through it vertically.&nbsp; What in the world is it?</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I would love to solve the mystery of this photo.&nbsp; I can't tell you how much time I have spent puzzling over it.&nbsp; Can you help?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">﻿</div>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-58838632082693439972011-06-25T18:23:00.000-04:002011-06-25T18:23:24.182-04:00The Autobiography or Diary of Mary Jane Dudley DonaldsonIn honor of my maternal grandmother's birthday, the story of her early life in her own words:<br /><br /><br />I was born June 26, 1898 in a big one room log house. I was the youngest of seven, six boys all born in this house. It was in Clinton County, Ohio on a mud road called Mud Switch. It was a big event when I came along with six brothers and I stood a rough time. We built two other rooms later.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />We had three acres of ground my father gardened for food. My mother canned a lot of vegetables and dried beans and corn. We all picked blackberries and grapes to can and make jam and jelly.<span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /><br />My father cut wood and cross ties for the B &amp; O Railroad also fence rails. There was a woods across the road from where we lived where my father worked. It was owned by S. S. Puckett who had a [illegible].<o:p></o:p><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W9Okf2nNBpM/TgZVpe6RyvI/AAAAAAAAAHk/gzu-xQnS1Oo/s1600/Mary+Jane+Dudley+1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W9Okf2nNBpM/TgZVpe6RyvI/AAAAAAAAAHk/gzu-xQnS1Oo/s320/Mary+Jane+Dudley+1a.jpg" width="212" /></a>I would go with my father in the woods to play. I would gather hickory nuts, hazel nuts, and acorns. My father would trim a big tree when he cut it. I would help him pile brush and he would cut a big limb for me to ride as a horse. I would watch the birds and squirrels.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />My mother would drive a horse and buggy about two miles into Lynchburg and wash and iron all day for 50 cents to a dollar to help make a living for us all. It was hard to get along there.<span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /><br />My mother would bring home what we call whole wheat flour (25 pounds would be 25 cents a sack) to make our bread. My father would buy white corn and shell to take to the mill to grind for corn meal to make corn bread. We would all shell corn at night, also shell beans.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />We would gather maple sap in the spring to make maple syrup. It would take a lot to make a pint. I helped to gather it from sugar maple trees and boil it down in a big iron kettle which we also used to make lye hominy and boil white corn to get the shells off in the lye. It had to be washed a lot before use.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />We also made our lye soap in the big kettle to wash with. We used fat [illegible] and grease and dripped our lye. We had a big barrel out by our back door with a big old tub with ashes in it which we put on top of the barrel under the roof. My father would save the hickory ash when he cut a tree to put in the tub and when it would rain it would run into the tub in the ash making the lye. We also made apple butter in the kettle and we made dried apples.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />We lived by a big ditch which we called the township ditch. I would play in it in the summer and skate in the winter. There was a big pond below our place where my brothers and other neighbor children played in the ice a game called shinney by hitting a can with a club to see who made the goal post first. I would get hit on the head but I was not the goal. My brothers would try to make me stay home but I would slip off and follow.<o:p></o:p><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jAPVWgJqoeM/TgZYvuaf_AI/AAAAAAAAAHo/o06h5ceJN8Q/s1600/Mary+Jane+Dudley+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jAPVWgJqoeM/TgZYvuaf_AI/AAAAAAAAAHo/o06h5ceJN8Q/s320/Mary+Jane+Dudley+3.jpg" width="213" /></a>I and my two youngest brothers went to a one room brick school and walked about two mile. We got there before it started, 8:30 a.m., and would not get home till around 5:00 p.m. We wore heavy clothing and gingham dresses and wool stockings my mother knit, and high top shoes. We had heavy snows then and it would drift over a rail fence where I and my brother would slide over the top.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />We had a one room white frame church beside the school where we would go on Sunday. We would all go and if anyone got sick, folks would go and cut wood for the stoves. The ladies would cook the meal for the help.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />We would have box suppers to get money for our church. We would fix a box with food and put our name inside and sell it to the highest bidder and we were to eat with the fellow who bought it. Sometimes we were not pleased with the fellow.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />We also went on hay rides with a big wagon and a team of horses hitched to it filled with straw and blankets over it. We would sing and ask riddles and in winter there was bobsleds which some had and would hitch to with sideboards on and hay to go sled riding for miles, and sometimes to spelling bees and ciphering matches to other schools.<span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /><br />How would you folks like these times today?<span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-18686289531636899752011-06-19T06:00:00.001-04:002011-06-19T06:00:03.913-04:00My DadIn addition to being Father's Day, today would have been my dad's 79th birthday.&nbsp; Russell Lee Davis was born June 19, 1932 and died August 18, 2003.&nbsp; This is&nbsp;an abridged&nbsp;version of the eulogy I delivered at my dad's funeral on August 20, 2003:<br /><br />Many of you who knew my dad probably remember him as a quiet, shy man.&nbsp; That was only his public persona.&nbsp; I would like to share some of my family's memories of the real Lee Davis.<br /><br />When we started talking about our memories of my dad, we discovered a common theme - fishing.&nbsp; My dad loved to fish.&nbsp; He would always get his fishing equipment together the night before a fishing trip.&nbsp; He told us kids to keep our distance from him for fear that we would tangle his line or be stabbed by a fish hook.&nbsp; How many times did we hear him say, "Don't step on any fish hooks!"<br /><br />He also had his bait routines.&nbsp; To make doughballs, he would spread newspaper on the kitchen floor and sit down with some Velveeta cheese and a box of Wheaties, knead them together, and form them into small balls.&nbsp; He also caught his own night crawlers.&nbsp; After dark he would grab a flashlight, a tin can, and the closest kid and head for the backyard.&nbsp; He would hold the flashlight, the chosen child would hold the can, and we would creep around the yard capturing night crawlers.<br />﻿ <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Srzw8nrvROc/TfqYy0hluWI/AAAAAAAAAHc/jF1_wAPGFzI/s1600/Russell+Lee+Davis+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Srzw8nrvROc/TfqYy0hluWI/AAAAAAAAAHc/jF1_wAPGFzI/s200/Russell+Lee+Davis+11.jpg" t8="true" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad at East Fork Lake, near <br />Williamsburg, Ohio in 1998</td></tr></tbody></table>﻿My dad wanted all three of his kids to be good fishermen.&nbsp; Russ still fishes, but dad wasn't as successful with Cheryl and me.&nbsp; Cheryl's first fishing trip was almost her last.&nbsp; The first time she tried to cast her line out she hooked her sweater instead.&nbsp; Dad told her he would never take her fishing again, but later relented.&nbsp; I recall one of the last times I went fishing.&nbsp; I was around 10 or 11 years old and hooked a real fish - a trout - for the first time.&nbsp; I started to reel it in and thought I had caught something the size of a small whale.&nbsp; It was hard work, but dad wouldn't help me reel it in.&nbsp; I suppose this was one of those parenting moments to build my character and teach me self-sufficiency, but the only thing I learned was that fishing wasn't much fun.<br /><br />My dad also enjoyed hunting.&nbsp; Cheryl and I never went hunting with him, but, as adults, we did go with him to check out his favorite hunting spot before squirrel season began.&nbsp; Russ and my mom did go hunting with him, serving primarily as hunting dogs.&nbsp; Mom was the more successful in the role.&nbsp; While hunting in some high grass, dad instructed mom to walk in front of him and scare out rabbits.&nbsp; She agreed to do so, as long as he didn't shoot her.&nbsp; Sure enough, she scared out a rabbit and he shot it.&nbsp; Mom told him that she was the best hound dog he ever had.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--wlhcQQZkwE/TfqYnYkSgqI/AAAAAAAAAHY/9v70aVOyltU/s1600/Russell+Lee+Davis+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--wlhcQQZkwE/TfqYnYkSgqI/AAAAAAAAAHY/9v70aVOyltU/s200/Russell+Lee+Davis+9.jpg" t8="true" width="133" /></a></div>As a child, dad also did some trapping.&nbsp; One day, he and a friend set out some traps.&nbsp; On their way to school the following day, he and his friend checked the traps.&nbsp; The good news was that they trapped something.&nbsp; The bad news was that it was a skunk and, as dad put it, they "got skunked."&nbsp; They then proceeded to school.&nbsp; Upon catching their scent, the teacher told them that if they would just leave and go home, she wouldn't even mark them absent.<br /><br />Having heard our fishing and hunting stories, you might think that my dad was the stereotypical slovenly male.&nbsp; This wasn't the case.&nbsp; He was very particular about his appearance and even dispensed fashion advice to us.&nbsp; On days when he went to church or some place where he would need to dress up, he was obsessed.&nbsp; He would ask if his tie was too long, if it was too short, if the knot was straight.&nbsp; His hair had to be perfect, his shoes shined, and his socks absolutely had to coordinate with the rest of his ensemble.<br /><br />Dad rarely shopped for his own clothing, but when he did, the experience was nearly unbearable for anyone accompanying him.&nbsp; He wore exactly the same type of pants to work every day, but Russ remembers spending an hour with him, shopping only for one pair of work pants.<br /><br />His obsession with finding the perfect clothing also surfaced when he shopped for my mom's Christmas presents.&nbsp; Each year he recruited me to go Christmas shopping with him.&nbsp; I remember one excriciating evening when dad and I spent what seemed to be hours at McAlpin's trying to decide between two outfits he had selected.&nbsp; After weighing the pros and cons of each outfit, he finally decided on one.&nbsp; Incidentally, I was back at McAlpin's a few weeks later when my mom exchanged the outfit he had taken so long choosing.<br /><br />My dad could be very stern, but he also had a playful side.&nbsp; Since he worked early hours on the railroad, he was usually home when we got out of school.&nbsp; Cheryl remembers watching the Flintstones and Tom and Jerry cartoons after school with dad.&nbsp; Russ remembers how tired dad would be after work, but that he would still play with him.&nbsp; He would tell Russ to get his marbles and plastic army men and they would shoot marbles at the army men.&nbsp; Dad enjoyed sports and often took us bowling and to play putt-putt golf on his off days.<br /><br />﻿ <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NS86AObiqRk/TfqZ7p-kzAI/AAAAAAAAAHg/3d5yaAlt9YY/s1600/Russell+Lee+Davis+and+Alyssa+Nichting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NS86AObiqRk/TfqZ7p-kzAI/AAAAAAAAAHg/3d5yaAlt9YY/s200/Russell+Lee+Davis+and+Alyssa+Nichting.jpg" t8="true" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad and his granddaughter, Alyssa</td></tr></tbody></table>﻿ However, his playful side really kicked in when he became a grandfather.&nbsp; Although he occasionally disciplined Alyssa, he was more often her partner in crime.&nbsp; For instance, one day he took a plastic newspaper wrapper, formed it into a ball, and threw it at her.&nbsp; Alyssa pretended to hold a baseball bat and took a swing.&nbsp; This continued until Cheryl walked into the room and reminded them that they shouldn't throw things in the house, to which dad replied. "She started it!"<br /><br />Dad also enjoyed his time with Quincy and looked forward to playing baseball with him.&nbsp; Each time he saw Quincy he said, "Boy, he's really going to be something."<br /><br />I hope you have enjoyed hearing a few of our memories of my dad.&nbsp; He had a great sense of humor and would rather be remembered with laughter than with tears.Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4762678837816337066.post-21986977177849780882011-06-12T07:48:00.000-04:002011-06-12T07:48:09.216-04:00Haven't I Heard This Story Before?<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Chancey Shaw was not a model citizen in his hometown of Ripley, Ohio. He liked his drink and had been arrested a couple of times for assault. Although he lived in a hotbed of Underground Railroad activity, his goal wasn’t to help escaped slaves on the road to freedom, but prevent them from doing so while padding his pockets a bit in the process. Chancey was a nephew of my fifth great-grandfather, Russell Shaw. Peter Shaw, Russell’s brother, was Chancey’s father.&nbsp; </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">&nbsp;﻿﻿﻿The Ohio River was the dividing line between slave state of Kentucky and possible freedom in Ohio. In Ripley, on&nbsp;the bluff&nbsp;overlooking the river, was the home of Reverend John Rankin, a Presbyterian minister and outspoken abolitionist. His home was a landmark for escaping slaves, who looked for the lighted lantern the family left&nbsp;in a window. The Rankin family and some other Ripley residents would hide slaves in their homes, then transport them north to another stop on the Underground Railroad. The residents of Ripley were well-aware of the Rankin family’s abolitionist activities.</div>﻿ <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eg8DaeCg7wY/TfSfb_Sm3hI/AAAAAAAAAHU/4daHs5zcolM/s1600/Rankin+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eg8DaeCg7wY/TfSfb_Sm3hI/AAAAAAAAAHU/4daHs5zcolM/s320/Rankin+House.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Rankin House, Ripley Ohio<br /><em><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;">NHL-NPS Photo</span></em><br /><a href="http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/underground/oh3.htm">http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/underground/oh3.htm</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Ohio River had frozen over in February 1838, creating what could be an easier&nbsp;escape&nbsp; for slaves than rowing across the river in a skiff. Later in the month, though,&nbsp;the ice had started to thaw. On a frigid late February night, Chancey Shaw positioned himself on the banks of the Ohio River hoping to nab an escaping slave and collect a reward from a grateful slave owner.&nbsp;When he heard the&nbsp;splashing of&nbsp;water and the cracking of ice, he must have thought that this would be his lucky night.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A&nbsp;slave woman and her two year old child struggled to cross the river on the thawing ice. In her desperate escape, the woman fell through the ice three times. Chancey heard her coming and met her on the Ohio shore. He grabbed her arm and, surprisingly,&nbsp;said, “Any woman who crossed that river carrying her baby has won her freedom.” Then Chancey Shaw directed the woman to the Rankin home, where he told her she would find help. I would love to know what made the slave catcher give up a reward of possibly hundreds of dollars&nbsp;and have mercy on this woman and her child.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div>Does this story sound vaguely familiar?<br /><br />A few years later after this incident, Reverend Rankin was visiting one of his sons at Lane Theological Seminary in Cincinnati. There, he related the story of the woman’s incredible escape to a professor at the seminary, Calvin Stowe, and his wife, Harriet Beecher Stowe. Years later in her novel <em>Uncle Tom's Cabin</em>, Mrs. Stowe based the character of Eliza, a slave woman who&nbsp;jumped with her child from ice floe to ice floe&nbsp;to cross the Ohio River to freedom,&nbsp;on the courageous woman who risked her life and the life of her child to flee the bondage of slavery.<br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If you are interested in the rich history of the Underground Railroad in Brown County, Ohio, I highly recommend <em>Beyond the River: The Untold Story of the Heroes of the Underground Railroad</em> by Ann Hagedorn.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Melissa Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801359243605695576noreply@blogger.com0